Dead Inside
by Darcie11
Summary: Seven lifetimes it's been since we've started remembering. Each time we'd vanquished the evil, and each time afterwards we had each other. We'd marry, we'd have children, we'd age, we'd be together. And then the cycle would start anew. But never did I consider what would happen if one of us were to die early. And what if they weren't reborn? Zelink AU. Rated M for violence.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Sooooo, I revised this a little to make it a bit less cringeworthy, most notable is the change from first person to third person point of view. Please feel free to give your opinions on it and tell me if you see anything that needs to be corrected or improved upon.**

**Warning for two accounts of swearing!**

**Edited: November 9, 2014**

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><p><span><strong>Dead Inside<strong>

**_"Seven lifetimes it's been…"_**

The walls rumbled and shook, as masonry fell from the ceiling. Grey dust kicked up as he sped through the corridor, focused and intent. From somewhere behind him there was a loud crack then a groan as something fell over. He swerved out of the way just in time to avoid the large pillar as it smashed into the ground, spreading spider-webbed cracks along the marble floor. He kept light on his feet as he continued to duck and dodge various other falling objects. Paintings were shaken from the walls, bits of marble flew as the floor began to give way.

Bit by bit the castle was falling apart…and they were still trapped inside.

Distantly, he could still hear the last echoes of Ganondorf's cruel laughter, haunting and real even after his demise. Link grit his teeth and worked to rid it from his mind. It was menacing. It taunted him, filled his thoughts with insecurities, made him realize the precarious situation he and Zelda were in. They were on one of the topmost floors in a castle that was more a tower. Two stairways had been blocked. He was riding on the chance that the southernmost one was still intact.

He never let it cross his mind that this time…this time they might not make it.

With Zelda injured and limp in his arms, their survival rested entirely on him.

A week ago he would have felt resentment at that notion. That she always managed to get herself captured, and he, as the hero, always had to rush in and save the day. He had considered her useless to him, something to lug around like an extra weight. She had been a burden, forcing him into danger while waiting patiently on the sidelines for him to succeed and then sending him off again. Remembering all those similar trials she put him through over their many lives, she'd become an annoyance. He had loathed her.

He frowned at the thought.

It wasn't until he had almost lost her that cold clarity had hit him smack in the face. Now he knew better. It hadn't been her fault, she hadn't chosen him for destiny, the Goddesses had. Just as they'd chosen her to guide him, they'd appointed him her protector, and he had foolishly rejected that duty.

She quivered uncontrollably in his arms, wracked with pain. Wrapped tight in his tattered cloak, she felt so small, so light, it was almost as if she wasn't even there.

They reached the southern stairway and Link sent a silent prayer to the Goddesses upon seeing it undamaged. Rapidly he started down them, skipping steps in his haste.

Another crash sounded and suddenly the steps started to collapse. One of the support beams beneath them must have broken apart, leaving them in a nice bit of trouble. He ran forward but came up short as the stairs began to crumble.

Tightening his hold on Zelda, he searched the area, breathing harshly.

"Shit! Hang on Zelda!"

Her response was a slight clenching of her hands as they grasped his tunic. It worried him that she had little breath for words, but he was somewhat allayed that she still had the strength for movement, even if it was minimal. She tucked her head, and breathed softly against his neck, a motion that without words conveyed the vastness of her trust in him.

It hurt. That she relied on him so much, even after all he'd done…

He had to get them out. He had to tell her how much she meant to him. That he regretted all those things he had said to her. They had to make it.

He grabbed hold of a sconce sticking out of the wall just as the stairs crumbled away. Agilely he swung to a nearby window, landing crouched on the sill, he climbed through the shattered glass and dropped down.

**"_Since we've started remembering…"_**

It was raining. Typical.

Menacing dark clouds loomed overhead, remnants of Ganondorf's malicious power.

He covered Zelda as best he could with the cloak, hiding away her face and hands from the stinging cold.

He landed precariously on the wooden scaffolding and hurried as carefully as he could along its slippery length.

The scaffolding had been used for the reconstruction of the outer ramparts, a part of the castle that had been almost demolished when Ganondorf first invaded.

It had been because of his pride and cockiness that he had let the Thief King come. So many times had he defeated him, singularly laid waste to his armies of moblins and stalfos, that he thought nothing of facing them again. He hadn't even considered that Ganondorf had been remembering too. That he was full aware of his reliving the legends, playing his part in an assigned cast set by the Goddesses. That he'd been learning from past mistakes, and improving as well.

Ganondorf had been determined that this time he'd be the last one standing.

**_"Each time we vanquished the evil…"_**

And it almost had been.

His foolishness and pride had gotten in the way; had cost them so many lives. He'd almost lost what he'd been sent to defend. A day it took for Hyrule to fall. Just a day. And in the space of a week Hyrule had nearly reached a state of total ruin, its people enslaved and monsters let loose over Hyrule to roam and kill freely.

Knowing his part, he had explored the temples, acquired the sacred items, and after a quarter year was ready to face the Thief King. Brash and impulsive, he had worked with Zelda as little as possible during this time and only dropped in occasionally to the freemen's camp where she had been hidden away, but never with the intent on seeing her.

She had warned him that his flippancy toward his duty would cause him to err. He'd take offence and always snap a sharp retort when she said this. To him she was insulting his skill and undervaluing his devotion to Hyrule.

But she'd been right.

He reached the end of the scaffolds and jumped, harried, onto the ramparts. Through the rain and mist he could make out the hordes of monsters in the bailey, running amuck and searching, having not yet realized that their overlord had perished.

Link crouched low and snuck along the wall. They greatly outnumbered him and although he could take them all at once on any other given day, right now he had someone to protect. Zelda was defenceless. He didn't want to risk her safety by being careless.

It seemed though that fortune was with them as they had yet to be spotted.

Zelda shivered more vigorously. The cloak had become soaked within seconds of being exposed to the elements and clung to her form like a second skin.

His ears twitched in warning and he quickly ducked beneath some planks as a group of moblins dashed down the ramparts to join their brethren in the search. Hunkered down, back pressed against cold stone, he waited fifteen seconds after the moblins had passed then darted out and continued looking for a way out.

Zelda released a low moan, her eyelids fluttering. Fearing that they might be heard he pressed her close, cheek resting on her forehead he felt how alarmingly cold she was. Soothingly he hushed her.

"L-Link?"

"Shhh," he reassured her. "Don't talk. Just…just don't worry. We're almost out…almost."

"It…h-hurts," she whimpered, her eyes squeezing shut.

He bit his bottom lip to keep himself in check. Thinking about what Ganondorf did to her…the reason she was in such pain… He would see to it that they emerged from this alive, for when Hyrule was reclaimed he'd resurrect the evil King and kill him again. Slowly and painfully.

Again he shushed her softly and cradled her head. He gently readjusted her in his hold, mentally wincing as she whimpered.

Time was short.

Puddles had amassed on the ramparts where the stone had not yet been repaired. Heedlessly he trod through them then jumped on the ledge overlooking the ravaged Castle Town. Once the pride and joy of Hyrule, the capital now lay in waste. Whole buildings were collapsed; others had been set aflame, burning even through the downpour.

He looked around him at the wasted castle, the burning town and the darkened fields beyond. He had done this. He had let it happen. All because of his foolish pride and arrogance.

He imagined what the reaction of the town's populace would be if they could see their homes now. They were gone, however. Killed, driven away, or run, terrified of that massive hordes that had brutally conquered them.

He'd find no help here.

The best luck there'd be was at Lake Hylia where the refugees and freemen had all run to. There was no chance that they would deny medicinal assistance to their Princess, their future Queen.

Link growled lowly. If only he hadn't used up all his red potions. What he wouldn't give for a healing fairy, or the great fairy herself.

Bracing himself, he launched into the air, casting Farore's wind to slow his descent and soften the landing.

**_"And each time afterwards…we had each other…"_**

They'd been spotted, as was inevitable, the light from Farore's wind having pierced the gloomy atmosphere like a telltale beacon. Atop the ramparts moblins had gathered, screaming in their language of clicks and shrieks, and pointing down at them.

He sent them a deadly glare and vanished down an alley just as a round of arrows thudded into the house behind where he'd been standing.

The streets of Castle Town turned out to be no less dangerous than the castle itself. Despite the fires and heady scent of death, monsters of all sorts were crawling about, preying on those weaker than them. Some were excited at the chaos and attacked whatever was in their range, while others, mostly those of the weak variety, converged in large groups and went out in mobs.

Stealth was the skill of asset now. Normally he was a natural, having on numerous occasions and in many lifetimes wandered out after dark to visit Zelda in her chambers during indecent hours, or avoided whatever guards stood sentinel in the corridors of Hyrule Castle and the various dungeons he had purged. However at the moment he had very little patience for such a tactic.

Zelda grew weaker with each second that passed. They had little time.

He rushed down the cobbled streets and alleys, ears pricked for the sound of lurking monsters. Upon rounding a corner he suddenly stopped short before he could collide into a vicious looking moblin. It heard him and quickly swerved around.

For a split second both stared at the other in a bemused sort of shocked state. Link was the first to recover and hastily darted back. He adjusted his hold on Zelda, freeing his left arm and whipping out his sword all in one motion.

He'd rather it didn't have to come to this, but if a fight must be had then he would gladly partake.

Angling his body to cover Zelda, he held out his sword threateningly, steely gaze unwavering.

The Moblin came out of its daze and raised its gnarled club, growling as it started forward. Link hunched low and blinked, sweeping rainwater from his eyes. Above the pounding rain his sharp ears detecting a faint clicking sound, but it drowned out beneath the moblin's growls. Again he heard it and his eyes widened in realization.

The moblin lunged and at that moment he sidestepped and spun around and switched their positions.

Stumbling to a stop, the moblin grunted in momentary confusion before something from above dropped out of the darkness onto the squealing moblin. Long-spindly legs and sharp dangerous pincers were put to use as the sculltula attacked its meal. The moblin continued to squeal and struggle. Dropping its club, it used its meaty fist to try bashing into the sculltula's armored back. The sculltula struck with its pincers and the moblin abruptly stilled, ichor spilling from its neck.

Link didn't hesitate to escape the scene. Sheathing his sword he wrapped his arms around Zelda, holding her more securely. He hoped she hadn't witnessed that.

"Link…," she spoke, voice soft and barely maintained above a whisper.

This time he was more cautious as he took the corner, making certain that the coast was clear before darting down the next street. "We're fine. It was just a minor scuffle, I hardly lifted a finger."

Silence. Then she spoke again, this time more steady as if she was really focusing to get the words out. "Link. Are you…are you still mad…at me?"

He released an involuntary laugh, thinking of all the things she could be asking of him she had to ask something like that. "Of course not. Why would I be? I would never be mad at you, Zelda. Never." His voice broke near the end, but both pretended they hadn't heard it.

She went on quietly. "You were…that day…in the courtyard. You were with Mell…" she sighed.

His breath caught in his throat as a cold unpleasant feeling settled in his stomach. There was no way of not knowing what day she was referring to. The day he had created that rift between them, when he'd most literally shoved her out of his life.

It was four months ago, the day he most regretted. Unbidden the memory drifted to the forefront of his mind.

**_"We'd marry...we'd have children…we'd age…"_**

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><p>The afternoon had grown lovely as the sun lit the ground with its soft caressing glow. It caused everything to radiate, the flowers, the trickling water of the fountain, and her.<p>

Her name was Mell and he had been infatuated with her ever since setting eyes on her. She was a spritely thing, possessing a dashing smile, set with lush full lips, curvaceous figure and elegant brown tresses that ran down her back in curls, framing her face and enhancing the sparkle of her eyes.

She was a highly desired catch among the noblemen, and with her wealth and title in addition to her beauty is wasn't hard to see why. Many, however, were disconcerted and more than upset that out of all the available doting young suitors that came calling, she had chosen him, a simple peasant who had gained rank through soldier training. With her looks and dainty smiles she had easily drawn Link in pursuit.

Seeing her looking so resplendent amongst the flowers Link snuck up on her and surprised her by fastening his arms around her waist. Realizing who it was, she smiled in greeting.

"You know," she said as she looked up to meet his eyes. "People have begun to talk about us. Rumors of a most heinous nature have been spreading. It really is quite shocking."

Link quirked a brow. "Oh? And what may these rumors be?"

She turned her head away to overlook the pond and flashed a glowing smile. "You are from the outskirts, correct? They say that that is a questionable area. They believe that you used dark sorcery to make me enamored with you."

Link scoffed. What an absurd notion. "And you listen to them?"

She stepped out of his hold and began to walk among the hyacinths. "Well, it is difficult not to," she said plainly, "especially when they make no effort to be inconspicuous about it. They mean for me to hear."

"And do you believe them?" he asked, edging around the floral arrangement as he followed her.

She shrugged, an amused smile tugging at her lips. "I imagine I wouldn't be able to tell either way. The fact is that whether it is to be believed or not, I still adore you, by my own will or under the influence of magic, I might never know."

"T'is magic, I assure you," he said casually, to which she grinned at him.

"You jest," she accused, voice full of amusement.

He smiled in relent. "Alas, once again the lady is correct."

"They also say," she continued on, "and this I find most ridiculous, that our souls have become corrupt by demons and if a union should occur we shall be dragged to the dark realm."

"Ridiculous indeed," said Link, approaching her and taking her hands in his. "And how they would mourn eternally for your precious soul upon its loss." Then he added fleetingly. "Of course, mine is expendable…unfortunately. None but the ladies would care should it be damned."

She giggled lightly. "Oh, stop it sir. A life is a life, and none is any less than another. Even those of the nobility recognize that."

He gave a wide grin. "I shall take your word for it, my Lady, for I shall not take theirs."

He then made to pull her into an embrace, but she laughed and zipped away across the beds of hyacinths. His eyes trained on her. She really did look lovely, her gown a soft lilac color with an ornate white floral pattern on the bodice, blended splendidly with the flowers, as if she were one of them.

He made to reach for her again and again she darted away, laughing giddily. "You know, you've been courting me these last few months. Out of everyone, out of all my suitors, I just knew it had to be you."

He smiled and slowly stalked towards her, coming in at an angle lest she try to flee again. "Yes, as you've mentioned many times. And forever shall I be grateful for the humble generosity bestowed upon this lowly peasant."

She backed away even as he moved forward, step for step, until she reached the fountain and quickly circled around it. "Stop that! It's not you."

"What?" he asked, feigning innocence. "Speaking like a noble?"

"Yes," she moved parallel to him as they danced around the fountain, her in avoidance, him in predator mode.

"As the Lady wishes," Link smiled wickedly.

She was instantly on the alert and she quickly turned tail and ran as he vaulted onto the fountain and dashed through the waters. Although she had a head start, his legs were longer and swifter. In seconds he had her snagged around the waist. He raised her feet off the ground and spun her, eliciting a laugh from her.

Setting her down, she stumbled a bit, having become dizzy. "I have yet to reach my point," she said, trying to compose herself.

He cupped her cheek, leaning in. "And that is?"

She nuzzled into his hand, placing her own overtop it, she gazed at him with wondering eyes. "When?"

"When?" he mimicked, genuinely perplexed.

She blinked slowly and pressed. "When are you going to finally propose to me?"

Link was caught by surprise, the automatic response forming at his lips was 'never', but then he paused. Why ever not? What was preventing him from asking for her hand? That answer was obvious: Zelda. Marriage to anyone but his princess was practically unfathomable. But since he'd taken all this time to court Mell, perhaps it was about time he asked the life-altering question.

"And how should I propose to you?" he drawled. "Beneath the twilight on bended knee? Or perhaps down by lake Hylia. It offers such a splendid view, and no doubt the scenery would match your beauty."

Mell blushed a rosy hue and smiled softly. "To tell you the truth, I've never been fond of all that romantic nonsense. I do not want you to make a big scene or to plan it perfectly to the very last detail. If you were to propose to me, I would much prefer it to be on a normal day, perhaps while we were taking a walk…in the gardens. Then suddenly, you would hold me close," her eyes darted to his lips and Link licked them in anticipation, "and you whisper in my ear…"

He dropped his head until his nose caressed the curve of her round human ear, nuzzling it slightly. He whispered lowly. "And what should I say?"

Distantly there was the call of his name. His ears flicked on recognition of the voice and he ignored it. He was enjoying himself too much to be distracted by annoyances.

Mell sighed softly and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders. "You'd tell me how much you love me. How much I mean to you, that you'd die without me and you'd die for me. You'd ask me to be the love of your life, forever and for always, even in death, we'd be together."

His breath hitched at her last declaration, but then steadied it unwaveringly. He pulled her closer and delicately kissed down her cheek and along her neck. She tilted her head to accommodate him, sighing in bliss.

It was then that he turned her face to fully confront his and kissed her directly. His movements were fluid as heated passion burned through their veins, inhaling her scent of lilies and cream, half anticipating that of roses and lushwood.

The distant cry of his name almost pulled him out of that special moment. It called closer and louder.

Their lips parted and they engaged in a battle of tongues, intertwining and persistent, saliva mixing as their heated mouths drew apart. They stood a moment, chests heaving and pressed against one another, foreheads together as they gazed into each other's eyes. Her's, saying without words of her adoration for him, and his…

"Link!"

Parting quickly, they at once turned their attention to the newcomer, the Princess of Hyrule herself. Link bowed while Mell delivered a hasty curtsy.

Zelda looked as if she had run a mile, chest rapidly heaving, a hand pressed against it to help slow her breathing, the other busy with smoothing back stray tendrils of hair. She looked over the two of them then locked her eyes with Link.

"Link, what in Hyrule are you doing?" she asked calmly, but he could clearly detect the hint of upset in her voice. He didn't let that bother him as much as it should have. He was more annoyed at her interruption.

"Kissing," he replied nonchalantly. "It is part of what courtship entails. Right, my Lady?"

Mell glanced up at him and smiled brightly. "Of course, my sweet."

"My sweet?"

Link flinched at the sound of the pet name Mell had chosen for him. It was overly endearing and not something he liked. No matter, he held back his displeasure in order to keep her happy.

Annoyed, he sent Zelda a peeved look. "Is there anything you wanted, your highness?"

The look she sent him was cold and overall unpleasant to be subject to. Link inwardly scoffed. Why was she acting so offended? She had walked in on them, butting into their affairs and demanding undue attention.

She cleared her throat and stood a little straighter. When she addressed him it was with aplomb. "I am afraid that I shall have to cut your afternoon…leisure activities, short as I require your assistance, Link. Now. Please."

Sighing, he shook his head with forbearance. So demanding. Sometimes she could be quite the nuisance, he found. Could she never leave off?

"She seems awfully trite," Mell whispered to him with some measure of cynicism, hands folded neatly in front of her. "What think you? Agitated? Undergarments in a twist?"

He couldn't help but smile at her remarks then grasped her hand in his, whispering just as lowly. "Well then let us go see if I can somehow untwist them." At her piercing gaze he rushed to add, "not in that way, my love. I shall return shortly."

He felt Mell's lingering gaze at his back as he went to Zelda, who seemed to have turned a nice shade of rose. Her ears twitched ever so slightly and Link could only assume that she'd heard that bit of conversation.

He forced a grin on his face and before he could proffer his arm to her she spun on her heels, walking at fast pace down the rows of hedges, sweeping past the courtyard and entering the castle proper.

Following at a respectable distance, he kept watch on the back of her head, admiring the elegant updo before casting his eyes around. He nodded at each passing guard with due respect while smiling with mocking jeer at the nobles. Those polished men dressed in finery viewed him with contempt, the older ladies, prim and proper, turned their noses up at him, while the younger trailed him with their eyes. He wasn't at all ignorant of the fact that he possessed looks that were considered stunning to most, nor was he ignorant of the effect they had on others. He gave a few winks as he passed, but nothing more, after all, he was committed.

They arrived in due time at their destination. Zelda's office was large and spacious, fitted with grander tastes in mind. The mark of the triforce littered nearly every item, from each corner of her desk to the sills above the window. A coat of arms hung on the wall above a great wing-backed chair designed to seat the build of a man. It bore the crest of the royal family, a golden bird, wings splayed, talons outstretched and the trifroce resting where its head should be.

He stepped in without hesitance, rocking on his heels, hands clasped behind his back as he waited expectantly. The door shut with a soft click and after a while of no movement, he turned to look at Zelda by the door. She had her head bowed, face shadowed by her fringe. She lifted her gaze and met his eyes with a look that he had never seen before. Something like determination mixed in with frustration and contempt. It boggled him.

He had noticed they'd become distant lately with each other, but not too distant that he hadn't seen subtle changes in her. It hadn't been hard to notice her more morose disposition and sudden loss of weight lately. Could the girl not even look after herself? So dependent she was.

"Link," she said softly, almost dourly.

He squared his shoulders brusquely. "Could you please get to the point, Zelda, I have more important matters that require my attention," he said flippantly, somewhat impatient to leave. The room suddenly felt overwhelmingly stifling, and he wanted to escape it post-haste.

She froze, snapping her eyes up to fixate coldly on him. "Are you quite finished?"

"Finished what?" he asked her nonplussed. Really, she did have a roundabout way of saying things.

"Playing these silly games?" she shot, stomping over behind her desk, she stood before her chair. "I consider myself very patient and understanding, long have I watched your infatuation with this girl grow and I concede that I have become quite a bit…concerned."

"Concerned?" he repeated, "about what?"

"About your lack of consideration," she replied, sitting down and placing her elbows up on the desk, fingers interlacing. "And your intentions. I've known you as an honorable man, it has never struck me that you'd be one to play around, as it were."

He stiffened as he gazed at her in confusion, bordering on disbelief. "Excuse me?"

She scoffed and turned her head to the side. "This game that you play with the countess needs to end. Sooner, rather than later. I can only imagine the heartache you'll put her through should you delay it long enough."

This was fast getting out of hand. Did she think that his affections toward Mell were a passing fancy? "You believe that I'm leading her on, don't you."

She sighed, looking up at him. "I am not mad at you for that, just…frustrated. You let her cling too closely."

"Mad at me?" he said, something indignant welling up inside him.

"Furthermore I believe that it is nigh time we formalize our union in this era," she said placidly. "With you as my King and partner you'd be placed in a more advantageous position to counter the oncoming darkness."

One word stuck with him. "Marriage? To you?"

"It is only the formalities," she went on, ignorant of his mounting anger. "We are basically already wed."

"You want me to reject Mell and marry _you_?"

Her eyes hardened as she looked at him. "Is that so difficult a concept to understand? Yes, reject her, and marry me."

Now this fanned his rage unlike anything else. Reasonably so. How dare that…that presumptuous little... "I'm afraid you are under a misconception of a sort," he said, with steady control. "This seems to be a one-sided decision made, you have yet to ask the opinion of the other party involved."

Zelda stammered for a moment then narrowed her eyes. "That – I didn't think…" she inhaled, "you are my husband."

"Not in this lifetime!" he shot suddenly, angrily. She jumped in shock at his harsh tone then glared at him.

"I've indulged you these past few months," she hissed lowly. "Since regaining our memories and our subsequent reunion I've been more than fair to you. I granted us both time to adjust, to settle properly into this era, saying nothing when you squandered your time on petty simplicities. It is enough; it is time you set your frivolities aside and attend to your duties. Already there are rumors of a darkness approaching from the east across the marshes. I believe that it is none other than Ganondorf."

His fists clenched as he grit his teeth. "I understand now," he said abruptly "You are acting under the preconception that we are still wed. That our marriage from our previous lives has carried on into this incarnation of our selves. That is where this attitude comes from." He then relayed clearly and with a tinge of disdain. "Allow me to reiterate: not in this lifetime."

She blinked at him in shock, mouth opening and closing, not knowing what to say. At length she said dimly, "But I thought-"

"What?" he spat with cool formality. "That I'd propose to you again? That I would desire to have you in this life?" He paced across the room to the hearth and placed a hand on the mantle, turning his head to stare out the window. "Let us speculate for a moment. What if – perchance – I wanted someone else? What if I no longer wanted you?"

"Link, what are you saying?" she breathed, alarmed.

Idly he tapped his finger on the stonework and looked out over the grounds. Her study offered a wonderful view of the courtyard. "Mell is a pretty thing isn't she. Kind and talented in all manner of things. Suppose I should want her…"

"Through life and death, Link!" she yelled, shooting up off her chair, her eyes acquiring a ferocious gleam. "Forever… that was in our vows, all of them, all those lifetimes…"

He snorted. "Lifetimes, too many if you ask me."

She blinked, surprise flashing over her face. "What?"

He shook his head and stepped away from the hearth, walking up to the desk. He leaned over and Zelda started back. Hitting the edge of the large wing-backed chair, she fell into it. He gave her his most severe look yet, filled with silent warning.

"_That's_ the problem, that we have lifetimes, and it's always with you," he growled vehemently, for once not caring what effect his words might have on her. She was a spoiled bratty Princess, one who needed to be knocked off her throne – or rather her father's, since his death she had yet to claim it.

"I do tire of this shackle you represent," he said without emotion. "Marry you? Is that a requirement after saving Hyrule each and every time? To be pegged down and tied to you, unable to escape. I tire of the glares and cruel remarks I receive at court, all the looks of disapproval and the not so subtle whisperings behind my back. Yet you wouldn't have noticed these things, would you? Too enamored with your own life, everything turning out exactly the way you wanted."

"No matter the laws you pass and how well you mediate between those of higher and lower status, nothing has changed. They all resent me merely because I am of a lower class, they never fully accept me as their King. Even now, in this era vastly more advanced than the last, they still don't. The highborn are prejudice, that is something never to be cured. Mostly, though, I tire of you."

He gazed at her tellingly, uncaring of the budding tears in her eyes. His thoughts were on Mell and ending this little encounter so that he could return to her. He steeled himself to Zelda's feelings; they no longer mattered. What mattered was getting his point across. It was enough; she would no longer have this control on his life. He wasn't a mindless being at her beck and call.

He was his own person, and she'd damn well know about it by the end of this. He would fulfill his role as hero - there was no escaping that - then be done with her and live out his life in peace for a change.

"Link…I'm…I'm sorry," she whispered after a pause, tears beginning to cascade down her face.

Link only snorted in derision. "Oh certainly. Sorry for all that you had me endure," he said coldly, straightening to full height and she winced at the glare he sent her. "Sorry is but a word. It does not make up for all those times I risked life and limb for you and your country."

He snorted mockingly. "A fine monarch you make. Unable to ever hold onto your own lands and protect your own people. And when all is lost you send in me to conquer dungeon after dungeon, to face horrific beasts and undergo unimaginable peril. Are none of your _gallant_ knights suitable enough to lend their aid? Was it always necessitated that I did everything myself? Because I was your precious hero?"

"Link…I-"

He slammed his hands down on the mahogany and she jumped in fright. "Just…shut up! It never concerned you what lengths I had to go through to save Hyrule. My health and safety was unimportant to you as long as I came out alive and virtually undamaged. I was a tool at your disposal and you never hesitated to use me."

Her face was one of aghast. "Link, I never thought of you as such!"

He shook my head in disappointment. "Unfortunately you did, and still do. Did you not just hear yourself? Me as King, not for an offer of love, but as a settlement. It is all tactical planning."

Zelda maintained a silence, sniffing audibly whilst digging her fingernails into the armrests. She shook as she cried, and like the merciless cad that he was, he drew satisfaction from that sight. At last, she understood. The release of all this resentment and scorn he'd kept bottled up over the years was alleviating.

Now she knew and now she could do whatever it was that pleased her with the information. He was done.

Link took a moment to flatten his fringe and fix the slight ruffles of his tunic. Abruptly he turned on his heels and strode out the door, his patience spent. Mell was waiting…

He spoke over his shoulder to her, one last word of parting. "I plan to propose to Mell. You may imprison me, exile me, or whatever petty little act of revenge you wish to plan. But just so you know, it is not always you."

He left her. Out in the hallway he could hear her break out into loud sobs from behind the door.

He frowned, heart clenching, then scoffed. Undignified, that's what it was.

Fixing a smile on his face he started back toward the gardens, each step making him feel more weighted and dreadful than the last.

He hadn't known then the true trials of love. He hadn't known that all this time he'd been taking for granted what was always there.

**"_We'd be together…"_**

* * *

><p>He firmed himself against that torturous memory. How easily it wracked his heart with agony and regret.<p>

Mell, he had later realized, had been used to get back at Zelda. She'd been a subconscious ploy to cause Zelda pain and distress. He was despicable for using Mell that way, and ten times more for ever wanting to cause harm to Zelda.

"I'm sorry, Zelda," he said silently. "I'm so so sorry…"

But as he had said that day, sorry was just a word. It could do nothing to make up for all the dreadful things he had said.

She hissed as he accidentally jostled her too harshly. He whispered another apology and kissed her brow, praying for the Goddesses to spare her.

He thought back to the battle with Ganondorf.

It had begun like any other duel against him. Strength was matched with strength, agility with agility, but it was inevitable that Link with the Master Sword overcame him and his stolen power. But then it all changed just as the fight was nearing its conclusion. Ganondorf must have seen that history was about to repeat itself because he'd managed to hold Link off a moment longer, just for a second, he'd pushed Link back then turned on Zelda.

She'd been in battle with him. For once not holding off on the sidelines while he'd gone to meet the evil King. She had fought alongside him. Rather than keep her distance armed with bow and arrow, this time she'd taken it upon herself to display her vast knowledge of swordplay and use it against the Thief King. He'd been amazed. Zelda's sudden zeal and drive to do more than she'd ever done had been inspiring, he had become confident at the austere manner with which she'd approached him.

Goddesses, had this all happened just mere _hours_ ago?

He'd admired her then, although he hadn't had the chance to tell her. Just the sight of her, expression set in determination, a hard steel to her eyes, decisive and unwavering, had filled him with pride. He had felt that with her he could do anything.

His admiration for her had only grown when she had looked to him, and rather than conveying anger or bitterness towards him, her eyes had exuded respect. He remembered her holding out her hand and smiling, asking him if he would assist her, as if she were the hero, as if she was allowing him the choice to walk away with no regrets.

And he had taken it.

They'd fought brilliantly together, incorporating their distinct styles and skill sets to work marvelously in tandem with one another. She with her lither physique and swiftness virtually danced around the much larger Gerudo, taking advantage of his larger size and slower movements to strike then dart out of the way, adding a blast or two of magic. Although not as quick as Zelda, Link had been efficient and managed to make every blow count.

In combination they'd been a force to contend with, and Ganondorf had been battered mercilessly, overwhelmed and overpowered. His last act had been one of desperation and vengeance.

It burned vividly in his mind.

Ganondorf had at that last moment changed his battle tactic. Instead of meeting Link head on, he had feinted his strike and instead gone to her. His focus had been on Zelda.

It had happened in a split second and afterwards... Link had been consumed by horror at the sight. Ganondorf's monstrous sword plunged to the hilt through her abdomen, blood spilling down the black blade sticking out of her back. Her mouth had fallen in shock, body frozen. Ganondorf had grinned and then brutally yanked it out, he'd stood over her body, clutching a wound to his side and erupted in loud laughter.

Time had slowed as Link had watched her fall, hitting the floor, blood seeping everywhere. The instant she'd touched the ground, time resumed, and he'd gone into a rage.

He had exerted no restraint as he slashed at the Evil King, barraging him over and over in his attack. The manic man had been laughing, as if he were the true victor, even when Link's sword had finally been thrust deep within his skull, Ganondorf had smiled as he disintegrated and faded away into darkness.

**"_And then the cycle would start anew…."_**

"I – I'm sorry," she said softly, her eyes swelling with tears that spilled over and streamed down her face. "Ev-everything…is my…my fault…"

Link soothed her, whispering words of soft rebuttal while stroking his thumb over her arm. "Don't say that. I don't blame you for anything. I was wrong. You've always been there for me and I…" he grit his teeth. "Please hold on, Zelda."

He pressed against a wall as a gang of moblins ran past, shrieking wildly. He could see the gates from here past the rooftops. They were almost at the end, almost out. Then he could tend to her. She required a better bandage than the torn cloth he'd hastily wrapped around her middle. She needed to be bathed and given red potions, a whole batch of them.

He would see to it that she made it to Lake Hylia alive.

Kissing the top of her head, he rushed across the street to the next alley, hastily darting into the shadows.

Almost there, just a little longer.

**_"But never did I consider…"_**

A cold shock shot through him at the sight before him. A stack of furniture barred their way. A barricade, created by the villagers when the moblins and other beasts had first invaded. It posed a hindrance to them now; piled two stories high it would be a dangerous climb, if that were an option.

He'd have to backtrack and find a different route. But there were bound to be more barricades around here, and he couldn't keep lugging Zelda around with him everywhere, so much movement would bleed her out.

With firm resolve he made up his mind. It would be quicker if he went alone. He'd find a path then return for her.

Bending down he moved to place her near a pile of rubble. She fisted her hands in his tunic and clung on tightly, fearing the motion entailed that danger was approaching. Gently Link pried her away.

"I have to leave you here, but only for a short while," he explained, looking her in the eye and making sure she understood. "I have to scout around a bit. I won't take long. I'll be back soon, just wait…wait for me here. And whatever you do don't fall asleep. You mustn't close your eyes. I want you to tell yourself the tale of the Goddesses then retell it to me when I get back."

He adjusted some of the debris to better shroud her in darkness, enclosing her in a small niche of crates and boxes. He fastened the cloak more firmly around her then leaned one of the broken boxes against another so that she could have some semblance of a shelter. The ledge of the building shielded them somewhat from the rain, but the wind blew it at an angle.

It frightened him how little she responded. Breaths escaping in weary gasps, her eyes were half-lidded as they looked at him, pleading with him.

He could feel his soul render in two. It took immense effort to step away from her. "I'll be back."

Before he could change his mind he struck down the alley, faltering at the sound of her feeble voice calling for him. Heart pounding with urgency he hurried out into the streets.

Everywhere he went there were those damned blockades. He was fast becoming frustrated before finally he found an open route, a lone forgotten avenue that had been neglected during the siege.

He ran quickly back to Zelda, heart palpitating frantically in his chest, consumed with panicked worry. He did not know for how long he had left her alone, but he couldn't help but worry that it had been too long. That he'd return and find her in cold death.

He let out a breath of relief when he found her just as he'd left her. He crouched down next to her, smiling when she looked at him. Carefully he picked her up retraced his steps to the avenue.

"L-Link…the story of the Goddesses…" she said tiredly.

Swiftly he brought his lips to her, silencing her, tasting fresh tears and blood. "Not now. Later. Promise me you'll tell me later."

Her shivering had increased and she no longer had the strength to hold onto him as she'd done previously. Her hands were limp against his chest, fingers immobile.

"Come on," he said softly. "We're almost out of here. Just a bit longer."

**_"What would happen …"_**

It happened in a flash. Down one of the main streets, Link's foot hit something thick and heavy, causing him to trip and nearly topple over. He staggered before steadying himself, looking down to see a bleached white stick. He realized belatedly that it was actually a bone. Piles of them lay strewn about the shadows, arrayed in such a way that it appeared to be somehow organized.

Instantly he knew what they were. Stalfos.

With a swirl of wind and rattling of bones, the stalfos reconstructed themselves, forming the gruesome figures of fleshless skeletons.

Link grit his teeth. He didn't have time for this. He'd have to outrun them.

He tore down the street, aware of the beasts at his heels stumbling after him. They were rigid and slow, he had no fear that they'd catch up to him, what worried him was the harm all this running would cause to Zelda's wound. Now that he was ambling full pelt she was being jostled more, as her small moans of pain attested.

She groaned as Link veered around a corner. So silent and weak. He realized they might not make it to Lake Hylia, she wouldn't last that long. He'd have to head to one of the slave camps in Hyrule field where a massive revolt should be taking place. He'd arranged the details with the freemen who would ride in and attack from the outside as the slaves rioted within. They'd have won by now, surely. They'd have doctors to take care of the injured and sick.

Zelda emitted one last shuddering gasp and then fell still, eyes closing. Shocked and frightened, Link came to an abrupt halt and gently shook her, heedless of the impending danger.

"Zelda? Zelda!" Panic took him and he shook her harder. He caught his breath as her eyes lazily fluttered open and peered up at him. "Zelda," he breathed, burying his face in her hair. He realized that his shoulders were shaking.

She made a heroic attempt at a smile, the gesture reassuring. "I'm sorry…you have to do this…that I burden you so…and that you always…have…have to save me…"

He growled. "Stop. Stop apologizing. You've done nothing to be sorry for," he intoned fiercely, reorienting himself and shooting down another path. "I let this happen. I failed Hyrule; failed you."

"No Link…you didn't…" she sighed.

**_"If…one of us…"_**

The drawbridge had long been broken down, Ganondorf's first act upon arrival. It spoke miles of his foul mannerism. Link was grateful for it now. If it had been whole and in repair it would have most likely been drawn up and he'd be forced to go through all sorts of additional hardships to find a way out.

"Look, Zelda," he coaxed, spirit bolstered. "Hyrule field. Can you see it? Just a few more minutes and we'll be out."

Zelda hummed her delight, fixing her hazy gaze ahead at the expanse of greenery, slightly greyed by the overcast showers.

Link hastened his pace. He could feel the warmth of her blood as it seeped into his tunic. His face paled as he realized that in all that rushing her wound had reopened.

Something suddenly collided with his shoulder and he stumbled, loosing his grip. Zelda flew out of his arms and gave a small cry as she hit the ground hard, rolling over twice before stilling, head lolling and body limp.

Terror clutched him with its spiny tendrils, threatening to reap him apart from the inside. "Zelda!"

Rain dotted her form, and he could see the puddle that she half-lay in slowly start to stain red.

He launched at her but had to duck away as a thick arm appeared in his vision, making a grab for him. Swiftly he turned to face his assailant, placing himself between him and Zelda. A hulking moblin stood before him. It hesitated as it eyed Link warily as he drew his sword.

Slowly Link backed up then crouched close to Zelda, noting to his ever growing horror that she was fully unconscious.

"Zelda?" he prompted, willing her to hear him. "Zelda, wake up. Please, you must wake up."

Heavy footsteps arrived, accompanied by the clanking of armor and rattling bones. Link narrowed his searing gaze at the foe that now barred his path, a black-armored iron knuckle, followed by a mob of stalfos.

One-handedly he gently picked Zelda up and took a step back, sword bared in warning. "Your master has fallen," he said darkly, hissing through his teeth. "You no longer have reason to be here. It would be wise of you to leave."

The iron knuckle stepped forward, heavy footfalls clanking on the cobbles. "A threat," its deep resounding voice boomed over the downpour. "A foolish one at that. We have you at our mercy. Now, hand over the maiden, and come with us quietly."

He clutched Zelda more tightly to him and barred his teeth in a vicious snarl. "Did you not hear me? Your King has fallen! The rebels shall soon be arriving. If you wish to save your filthy hides you'd do as I say."

"You believe the mighty Ganondorf has been felled?" said the iron knuckle. "What lies."

"I speak the truth," defended Link. "I slew him myself." He gave a snide smile. "It was easy."

"Rubbish! As if our great King would fall to the likes of you!" The iron knuckle gave a sharp hand signal and the stalfos charged forward in attack.

Holding Zelda firmly, Link bent his knees and countered.

It felt gratifying shattering all those bones, splitting them into pieces, and decapitating heads. While he fought he kept the iron knuckle in his vision. Standing off to the side, keeping himself uninvolved, he stood like a statue, silently overseeing the battle.

Link became an unstoppable force. So enthused was he that the slices and cuts he received became nothing. He felt neither cold nor pain, only a rage so heated it engulfed him. Once one enemy fell he was quick to move onto the next and the next, all the while constantly keeping his body at an angle that offered the most protection to Zelda. He would let none of them touch her.

He grew frustrated as the battle progressed and there was no end in sight. There were always more stalfos to take the place of the ones who had fallen. They were wasting time!

"Ah!"

Link felt his heart stop as Zelda came awake in his arms. Grey eyes hazily blinked open and filled with surprise as she registered what was happening. He could hardly contain his joy as he grinned in relief. She hadn't given up yet, and even now, surrounded by enemies, there was still hope.

"Link..." she murmured quietly.

He didn't answer her, to concentrated on keeping them both alive. He felt renewed determination and boosted his efforts in staving off the enemy.

Before long, however, he was overwhelmed. The exhaustion of constant fighting and fleeing over the past few hours, added with the fight against Ganondorf, drained him. He became sloppy and the stalfos honed in on that, attacking with renewed vigor.

One managed a direct hit to the base of his head, another succeeded and catching his wrist and sending the Master Sword flying. Link called upon courage, but his body could not sustain it, the triforce did not react.

Link collapsed, brought to his knees. He enfolded Zelda in his arms, shielding her as the stalfos besieged them.

Instead of the feeling of metal against flesh, Link felt the many skeletal hands grab him. It took only a second to realize that they were forcing them apart.

"No!"

He curled himself around her, clutching her tight and ignoring the bones digging into his flesh as they tried to pull his arms away. Then a scream rent the air, terrified and pained. A stalfos had grabbed Zelda by the arm and yanked harshly.

Snarling like a caged wolf, Link struggled and bucked, trying to fend them off.

"Link!" Zelda cried out, looking up at him with scared grey eyes.

A pair of stalfos grabbed him, one arm each, and forcefully pulled them apart. He fought against them, but his strength was waning. To his horror there was nothing he could do. Another stalfos snatched her up from him. Hoisting her in its bony arms, it carried her over to the iron knuckle.

Link felt his heart rend as she looked back at him, eyes wide and pleading.

He grit his teeth, eyes filling with pain, and cursed. There was nothing he could do! Nothing!

"Link…" She reached for him, hand suspended midair over her captor's clavicle.

"Zelda!" One last shot of adrenaline coursed through him as he struggled against the stalfos, managing to tear one arm away before it faded and he was once again restrained.

He watched in dread as Zelda was presented to the iron knuckle, who was chuckling delightedly.

**_"We're to die early…"_**

"Princess of destiny indeed," grumbled the iron knuckle lowly. "A fatal destiny it seems. You're practically dead as it were."

Zelda flinched as the iron knuckle trailed a finger along her face, down her cheek then drifted it towards her wound and pushed his finger in harshly. She screamed out hoarsely, writhing, body wracked with pain.

Link jerked against his captors. "Zelda!" He growled and hissed. "Don't touch her! Get the fuck away from her!"

The iron knuckle withdrew his finger and observed the glistening digit. The blood was slowly being washed away by the rain. He rubbed his thumb against it, watching as it dribbled on the dark leather. Zelda panted, quivering, her eyes unfocussed.

"Zelda?" Link breathed tentatively, pained with concern. She was at her last. And even as his eyes confirmed it, his mind and heart were set firmly in denial.

"There's no use in keeping this one," the iron knuckle went on. "Might as well end her torment now. An act of mercy, if you will."

Link's eyes widened. "No," he shouted, tormented. "No! No don't!"

Zelda turned her head to gaze at him, suddenly focused and clear, as if in her last moments of desperation she was allotted that clarity. The triforce on his hand weakly pulsed as it sensed the use of its sister. Zelda used the last of her strength to activate her triforce.

Tears welled up in his eyes, trailing in rivulets down his face. His breath hitched as her eyes landed on him, reflecting insurmountable strength and courage. He sobbed and struggled futilely, seeing her demonstrating all the heroics that marked a true triforce bearer was more than he could bear.

"Zelda," he cried, voice filled with anguish.

The iron knuckle raised his sword, but Zelda paid it no heed. Her entire focus was on Link. "We'll meet again…in the next life…I'll wait for you there."

Link suddenly jerked forward, yanking his captors off balance. More were quick to grab on. "Wait! No, Zelda!" he cried out, then said desperately, "Marry me! Marry me when this is over!"

Surprise flashed across her eyes before she gave him a despondent smile. "Link…"

The blade came down, slicing through flesh and bone as it pierced her heart. Her head jerked back and her chest thrust forward in a reflexive response. Slowly, her eyes misted over until they became blank, her form grew limp in the stalfos' hold. She was dropped to the ground uncaringly, head flopping and blood spilling.

Link gazed at her through a clouded vision, body sagging in despair. The iron knuckle then approached the body. Nudging her with the toe of his boot he rolled her over onto her back then planted a foot on her stomach, pressing it down and squeezing out more blood.

Link felt bile rise to his throat. The iron knuckle bore down on him with glittering yellow eyes.

He jerked his head. "Take this one to the dungeons. Give him our most generous accommodations. I'm sure King Ganondorf will be thrilled to receive him."

Link was trapped in a frozen shock; the world seemed to glaze over in icy coldness, all the warmth sapped from it. The stalfos started to drag him off towards the castle and suddenly he snapped awake. Disregarding the screams of his aching body, he struggled fiercely in an attempt to break free.

"Unhand me!" he snarled, lashing out with arms and legs. "Zelda!"

Fighting to hold him down, the stalfos dug in their fingers and bent his arms. With a jerking twist Link managed to wrench away from the one on his right and steal the sword from the one behind him. Before he could make use of it his arm was grabbed, wrist squeezed until the limb failed and he was forced to relinquish it.

His arms were folded behind his back as they forced him to march forward. He persisted in his struggling, desperately twisting his head back to glimpse Zelda's dwindling figure.

She was gone… She was truly gone…

And he wouldn't see her again until their next rebirth.

"Zelda?" he sobbed, and then cried out, "ZELDA!"

**_"And what if…"_**

It was only a week that he spent, chained in the dungeons of the half demolished castle, although it felt like an eternity. He had been placed in the lowest and dankest cell, isolated from the outside by a thick metal door opposite to his cage. He had to be force fed is meals, as he was mentally and physically incapable of doing anything but hang there from his shackles, staring blankly at the ground.

He kept reminiscing on that day, those long months ago. What he'd said to her, the pain he must have brought her, forced to watch as he courted another woman. Pettiness, that's all it was. He'd been bitter and petty, wanting to get back at her for something that wasn't her fault.

Then one day the guards didn't come. He didn't eat. The next day his door clanged open and Hylian scouts entered his cell, having scoured every crevice to eliminate the remaining monsters in the castle and to free all the prisoners. They'd instantly recognized him and informed him that the slaves had been liberated and the rest of Hyrule was being freed as they spoke. They took him away from the castle, placing him in the temporary sick bay in the field to be treated.

He rested and healed. It was some days later that one of the rebel commanders mentioned, with some hesitance, that there had been a dispute about directly mounting an attack on Castle Town, and it had been the sight of their beloved Princess skewered on a pole above the drawbridge that had incited them to action.

Link had taken that moment to empty his stomach.

Her body had since then been rescued and tended to, and at her funeral, more than a few people had erupted in uncontrollable wails. Link felt more of a failure at that moment than any other time in the history of Links. He had stood there, in the shadows in the back, neither saying a word, nor shedding a tear.

Nobody blamed him. That's what they said. But he could feel their disappointed gazes on him whenever he passed them in the streets. The townsfolk muttering in utter sadness and the nobles gazing pityingly at him, as if he was the most tragic love story in existence.

He had soon learned that Mell had survived the takeover. She had returned once the rebuilding was well underway and the construction had been finished on most houses. She'd searched for him, but he kept purposefully away from her.

There was one time he had passed her at the market and he had swiftly drawn his hood, sinking into the shadows. She'd walked past without batting an eye, and all he could think of at that moment was that Zelda would have known it was him. She would have recognized his posture and the bearing with which he held himself. Mell, however only saw a stranger. He made sure to disappear from her life, to never be seen by her again.

Sometimes he wanted it all to end. He'd actively go out searching for danger, taking foolish risks, just so that he may die. He and Zelda had lived seven lifetimes together that they could remember, and he had at one point thought he'd become sick of her, but one lifetime apart and he fell to pieces. It was impossible to live without her; he just couldn't do it. But whenever he did try to end it, by his own hands or some other measures, something always called him back. To the castle, to the town, he wasn't sure, but he could never fully let go.

Sometimes the wind would blow through the fields and he'd imagine it's her arms, holding him, her hands caressing his face. He'd lean into it, taking comfort, and then he'd fall and return to cold reality. He felt her and saw her everywhere he went, and it was torment and shear bliss. Thinking about her was both agony and comfort. Agony for his loss, comfort because he knew that he'd live with her again in the next cycle.

And so he lived on, dying at the wizened age of 89. A sad and miserable life it was, and tragically, the longest he'd ever had.

And now as he looked over Hyrule field and stared at the Castle beyond, a great stone sentinel towering over the town as a symbol of majesty, embraced in his new 17 year old body, memories newly attained, he saw light.

"Zelda…my light, my love…"

"I'm coming for you."

**_"They weren't reborn…"_**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I wrote this after watching Clannad afterstory for the second time, and felt like writing a tragedy. I hope this makes some of you sad.**

**Still don't like the flashback scene with Mell. It needs to be worked on. **

**Please read and enjoy.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to Generala, Death Waltz, Wolf, Vria, Guest, Needlesslyhere, and Bloodspire for reviewing!**

**Thanks Generala for pointing that out. I fixed the spelling of Ilia's name.**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

Sometimes when he slept strange images would come to him like the shadows of a forgotten world. A castle of sparkling white, turrets angling up towards the sky like thrusting javelins, and a moat and a garden with hedges forming a mazelike network. Then everything would darken and it would morph into the most desolate place in existence, filled with fear and anguish. There'd be foul beasts and monsters, underwater caverns, the scent of firewood and sweat, and a voice…the darkest most evil sound rising above a rugged landscape; laughing and laughing and laughing.

But most importantly there was a princess.

Those images of her tended to be inconsistent with one another. Sometimes the princess was a young child in a pink sundress, others she was a full-grown woman, her face one of passivity and grace. Sometimes she'd have blonde hair, sometimes russet and others brown, but always he knew she was his same princess. When he saw her in those sleeping moments his heart pounded like a drum within his chest as he regaled her with a reverence that constituted one of a divine nature.

At a point in his youth, he had believed he'd fallen in love with her; enamored as he'd never been before to this figure from his fictional imaginings. But as he'd progressed through life he slowly came to realize that that was all it was…fictional. The fruit of an overactive mind, one not content with their lot in life and seeking a reason to strive for more. He could not sustain himself on merely dreams, so with reluctance he allowed the images to fade, the scenes to become blurred. Although they couldn't help but linger somewhere in the hidden depths of his mind, ready and waiting to be pulled to the forefront whenever his thoughts so much as probed them.

And so, with a sigh of forlorn longing, Link continued his life as a blacksmith's apprentice in the small village of Heron Falls located in Lanayru province. And… as with many of his past adventures, this one began on his birthday.

But he was not to know that…

* * *

><p>"Link! There you are!"<p>

Idly, Link opened his eyes and angled his head upwards, squinting against the glaring sun to spot the boy on the ridge above. He waved and shielded his eyes. "Leaf. How goes it?"

Leaf crossed his arms, a frown distorting his boyish features. "Hiding again?" he questioned, shaking his head chidingly. "And in the same spot too? How very unimaginative of you. I can't fathom why on all days you'd want to be missing for your birthday. Is the special treatment not enough for you? Do we have to worship you as well?"

Link scrutinized their location overlooking Heron lake, in a little cleft of brambles and rocks near the shore, peaceful and somewhat remote. It was not surprising that he would find solace in this place. He was just the person to appreciate the joys of solitude.

Link snorted. "Don't be ridiculous. I just…don't like all the hype and noise."

"Well," said Leaf, spreading his hands in a 'what can you do' manner. "Can't help with that. Everybody seems to think that this year is extra special for some reason. How old are you now anyways? Twelve? Ten?"

Scowling, Link bent down and grasped a handful of pebbles. Then he launched them one by one in quick succession at Leaf. "Seventeen! I'm seventeen you dimwitted cuccoo!"

Leaf huddled behind his arms, failing at deflecting the blows. "Fine, fine! Cut it out!" He lowered his arms warily as the onslaught died down and then thrust his hands in his pockets and scuffed his shoe. "Dear Farore! You don't have to get all sensitive about it. Just because you look unnaturally young for your age compared to me and Vrel. Psycho."

Link laughed then looked at Leaf, mildly curious. "Where's Vrel anyways. He can't have left you to find me alone?"

Link became increasingly wary as Leaf's grin suddenly took on a sinister air. "Oh…he's around. Somewhere, you know."

His confusion mounted, but then he heard the slight rustling of the brush behind him. Before he could call out, another boy, bigger and gruffer than either him or Leaf, leapt at him. Link attempted to dodge, but was pulled into the larger boy's strong embrace, arms locked behind his back.

He wrestled and struggled futilely. "Vrel! What are you doing?" He grunted and was somehow able to sweep Vrel's feet from underneath him and they both fell. Vrel's grip momentarily weakened as he hit the ground in shock. Link struggled harder. Escape was close at hand, but at the last second Leaf vaulted over the ledge and joined in the melee. Now all three boys wrangled with each other, a highly unfair situation as rather than a free-for-all, Link had to fight off two opponents set on taking him down.

"Just-" Vrel was cut off as he grunted when Link's elbow met his jaw then retaliated by grappling him to the ground. "An early gift. Happy birthday!"

Link saw that they were slowly inching closer and closer to the lake's edge and his eyes widened in trepidation. "No. Guys. Guys, no!"

Leaf laughed while taking ahold of Link's flailing arms. No matter how hard Link struggled any advantage eluded him, and more and more he was being pushed towards the lake. Its rippling waters awaited him, deceitfully inviting and on any other day he'd have been willing to go for a swim. But as it stood, today was his birthday, the big one-seven, and he had no compulsions to wet himself and sidle up to all the slimy wonders within its bowels on such a momentous day.

Link cast them a hateful glare, realizing there was no way out of it. "This is cruelty."

"Not more cruel then you were for our seventeenths," retorted Vrel. Then they both shoved Link into the water.

A shear drop no more than three feet from the shoreline ascertained that Link would be fully immersed and just brushing on the ends of the swaying seaweed at the bottom. He kicked his legs, propelling himself upwards and spluttered as he surfaced. He made certain that his friends knew just how unhappy he was by the glower he sent them.

He ploughed his arms, swaying them back and forth in the water, all the while seething at Leaf's and Vrel's howling forms, bent over and grasping their stomachs. They looked like a pair of clowns, laughing until their eyes watered, faces turning red and puffed.

Leaf then noticed Link's expression suddenly change to a mischievous smirk and tapped Vrel to look up. All at once they were doused in a torrent of water, causing them to immediately sober.

"Link!" Leaf cried in dismay.

Link had already paddled to the bank and was hauling himself out of the water, prepared for the mad dash that would follow.

"Get him! Don't let him get away!" shot Vrel, as they both ambled after him, leaving a splotchy wet trail in their wake.

Link laughed and made haste to the village.

Heron Falls was hustling with activity. Banners were being spread, and in the square multiple tables had been lined up, connected at the ends to form one long one, long enough to fit their entire population. The smell of stew and the aroma of cake flitted about his senses, teasing him with what was to come. Link paid brief heed to all of that as he ran, dodging the set up crew and launching over the tables.

An older man shouted at him when he nearly toppled over his ladder. The women smiled and called to him as he rushed past the cooking area, and he slowed only slightly to inhale the divine aroma before hastening on as Vrel's and Leaf's pursuing forms drew nearer.

The chase ended in a wrestling match as Vrel and Leaf finally put their minds together and cornered him in an admirable strategic movement. No one paid them any heed as the boys scuffled, whereas on any other day they might have been lightly scolded or put to work for dallying.

It was a party all for him, the biggest one he'd receive in his entire life, staging his most important year. He was now old enough to be considered an adult.

The festivities didn't start until late afternoon. It consisted of games and fun. One such popular game was 'catch the cuccoo', which the younger boys and girls played eagerly. Link sat and watched with Vrel and Leaf, goading the youngsters from the sidelines, and then leaping in the air and cheering as a young boy named Nova caught the cuccoo and was declared winner.

When it was time for the sparring matches he eagerly participated. As the apprentice to the local blacksmith, he'd worked with all sorts of different metals and materials, shaping them and forging them into whatever was required at the time. Among them was the occasional sword, commissioned by some noteworthy noble or an upper middle class man. Handling one was as if second nature to him, and he easily dominated all the young boys and girls who entered ring. Then came the adult matches, men and women of middle age and brimming with experience, although fewer partook in that challenge. For many their sword skills had dwindled as they'd become more singularly focused on their professions.

That event had been brilliant to witness, and the champion, unsurprisingly, was their resident swordsmaster, Vallen. He spun his sword elegantly, and took a gracious bow, to which applause was given out with shear exuberance.

Late evening saw them around the adjoined tables, sagging with all sorts of dishes and fruits. There was the best soup made from fine pumpkins imported all the way from Ordon province, stews and roasted potatoes, apple pies, and many other delights.

Link was practically inhaling his fish stew when he raised his head and caught sight of someone staring at him. Their eyes connected and she instantly looked away, cheeks flushing.

He looked back down at his food, pondering on this in confusion. He was brought out of his musings as his shoulder was nudged, jostling him and causing a few droplets to escape his bowl.

"Adra's been eyeing you," Vrel whispered lowly and far too gleefully.

Link swallowed his mouthful. "Has she?" He swept his eyes along the table until they rested on another of his dear friends, although he suspected Adra wouldn't be opposed to moving their relationship along a bit. For some reason, though, something always held him back. Adra was a nice girl, and very pretty, but he could see her as no more than a close and dear friend.

Their eyes met once again and Adra hastily looked away, her attention drawn by another girl, Marle, who chattered with her excitedly.

"Aaaand she looks away. My, Adra's being unusually shy today, I wonder why," said Vrel, grinning broadly at him.

Link was by no means dim. He easily caught the hidden implication behind Vrel's words. Finding the conversation had taken a very awkward turn; he opted to reply as curtly as possible. "She is a friend."

"Who's obviously sending you the signals," added Vrel, nodding his head sagely. He looked at Link piercingly. "You can't tell me you've never thought of the two of you becoming anything deeper."

Link scrunched his brow in thought. That notion had actually popped up once or twice before, and recently on numerous occasions, and yet… It was just… just unfathomable. Being in a close relationship to any woman other than…

He blinked, stunned for a moment.

Where had that come from?

Shaking his head to rid himself of the sudden images and the heavy feeling weighing on him, he turned back to Vrel. "I'm not sure she likes me that way." But insisting did not even faze the larger boy.

Vrel tutted in mock pity. He turned to Leaf who was sitting silently on his other side, involved in his food. "Do you hear this idiot?" He jerked his head at Link, who glared dangerously at him.

Vrel then pat Link on the shoulder. "You, my friend, are so evidently deaf and blind," he said cheerily. "Either that or completely dimwitted. Have you not seen the way Adra's been acting around you recently? It's the most painfully obvious thing in the world. Right Leaf?"

Leaf, who had remained abnormally silent throughout, shifted in his seat and averted his gaze. "Umm, yeah…sure."

Vrel slapped the table. "As I said!"

Link flashed a concerned look at Leaf, who appeared to be sinking into his chair, then at the relentless Vrel. "Actually…I…"

He hadn't the chance to finish as suddenly a chorus of cheers erupted as the cake was brought out. Link, grateful for the distraction as he hadn't actually figured out what he'd been going to say, rose from his seat as the cake was placed directly in front of him. As they all indulged in the desert, Link having received the largest portion, as was his right for the occasion, he meticulously steered clear of any conversation pertaining to their female friend. He just…didn't want to talk about it.

As twilight descended and lanterns were lit, everyone relocated to the bridge. It's width almost as big as it's length, it was the stage for many of their celebrations, mostly though for the celebration of the golden goddesses who had created Hyrule and gave them life. But this was the first time it would be used for his birthday. Link's heart pounded in giddiness. He couldn't help it, really.

At one end a small podium had been erected with barrels and instruments. At the foot of the podium there was another barrel. He was practically shoved towards this one. He sat on it with nervous trepidation, feeling all eyes on him. Then the blacksmith, Roark, his stand in father, stepped forward, hands concealed behind his back.

Roark smiled at him and the clamor suddenly died down.

"Link," his voice boomed. "As you have now reached the age of manhood, an age where choices are made, hearts are broken, and virtue is scarce…"

At this a wave of laughter erupted from the adults, while the children looked on in clueless frustration. Link flushed red and ignored the obscene gestures that Vrel and Leaf were making. He also noticed, from the corner of his eyes, Adra glowing a bright red as she clasped both hands to her cheeks. At once he set to ignore that too.

Roark coughed, forcing the smile from his face. "Anyways. Since you are now at the point of manhood, you shall receive…"

Two heavy-set men had taken out their Goron-crafted bongos and started a drumroll.

Roark's eyes twinkled and he swept his hands out in front of him. The drumroll abruptly stopped and the villagers cheered loudly at the items held in Roark's hands, a shiny needle and a pair of blue metal loop earrings.

Link gulped audibly, but determination firmed his mind, forcing him to steel himself. The children all began to chant 'Piercing! Piercing! Piercing!', and one look at Vrel and Leaf had them flashing their earlobes where a similar pair of metal loops adorned them.

Vrel shrugged, as if to casually say 'we had ours done too'.

Frowning, he held still, posture rigid, as Roark approached with the dangerously sharp object. It couldn't be all that bad. Everyone in Heron Falls got their ears pierced eventually, and some even chose to add more than just that single required set. He just hoped he didn't cry. Goddesses! That would be the ultimate form of humiliation. One of the boys back a few years ago had. Peter. He'd put up such a fuss by the end of it, and as punishment he was teased constantly for his weak display. Even now, five years later, at least once a week someone would make a half-hearted barb at him that would set him blushing in deepest shame. Link was determined not to suffer those consequences.

He stared forward as the needle came closer and felt as the point tapped his earlobe. He grit his teeth, anticipating the pain.

Roark smiled at him, confidently. "It won't take a second," he reassured. "Just a short pinch. There might be some blood, but I wouldn't worry too much about that."

"Just get on with it," Link hissed through clenched teeth. He hadn't thought something so small could elicit this much terror from him, although, it probably wasn't helped that the giant audience added a sort of stress to the ritual that made it positively unbearable.

Roark's strong hand patted his shoulder then he grasped his ear. Link shuddered as he felt the needle drive a hole right through, and was pulled out, quickly replaced by the earring. He exhaled slowly. One down. And then the next ear was pierced and it was done, amidst wild cheering.

Lilly, the lady in charge of the apothecary, dabbed some disinfectant around both holes then handed him a bottle. "Keep applying it twice a day, every day for the next two weeks or until it heals," she said softly, patting his cheek. "You did fine, Link."

As Lilly stepped away, Vrel and Leaf yanked him to his feet and slapped him on the back.

"Oi Link, all grown and manly now. Makes me so proud!" said Vrel, who soon had Link wrapped up in his powerful thick arms and proceeded to squeeze the life out of him.

"Vrel!" Link gasped, wriggling in discomfort.

Leaf laughed. "Ease up, will you. Let the poor boy stand on his own two feet, now that he's capable of it."

Vrel gave a fake sniffle. "You're right," he said, setting Link down. "Our boy can look after himself now." He then tilted over, leaning on the smaller boy, using his shoulder as an armrest. Link shoved him off and staggered, breathing in great lungfuls of blessed air.

Music started up, a fast ditty in which drums, wind, and strings played in a jaunty partnership. People converged in the middle of the bridge to dance and the bridge practically vibrated with all the stomping and twirling as joyous laughter rent the air.

Vrel smiled eagerly and splayed his arms around Link's and Leaf's shoulders. "Well what are we waiting for? It's your party Link, join in!" He tugged them in to join the men's circle, hands connected in a chain surrounding the women's circle.

Link laughed and rapidly became dizzy. Every so often the circles would stop and break then the men and women would dance and twirl with each other before the circles formed again and the dance would continue.

He danced through five more songs before he was called on again. Mothers had long taken their young ones to bed and the alcohol had been brought out with full zeal. Pink-faced men and women toasted him as he was shoved along once again to the podium.

"Play, Link, play!" one woman called out.

"Do a little tune, will you!" another one shouted.

"Come on Link!"

Link stuttered bashfully and was offered a violin. It wasn't his, but a borrowed one would suffice. He looked at it and at length, sighed and accepted – to even more cheering.

Tucking the curve of the lower bout under his chin, he positioned his fingers and brought up the bow, already rifling through a list of tunes he could play. Having made his choice he started at a slow first few notes. Then the pace increased and suddenly erupted into a fast river dance, his arm and wrist flying back and forth, the fingers of his left hand dancing over the strings fluidly. The other musicians picked up the tune and began to play the filler parts, leaving him with the melody. Soon the revelers were cheering and dancing once more.

Link smiled and observed them from his vantage point, all the while playing flawlessly. He had to concentrate near the end as the last few notes drew more speed and then finally he finished with one long clear note.

The villagers applauded and cheered, and he was led down, relieved of the violin and offered a refreshing drink from Vrel.

He chugged it down, and immediately spat half of it back out. "By Din, what did you give me?"

Vrel smiled. "Ale. Your first time trying it, right? Do you like it?"

He shook his head vehemently. "It's horrible."

Vrel laughed, and no matter that Link had determined at first taste that he didn't like the brew at all, he couldn't stop himself from drinking glass after glass whenever anyone offered him some.

Soon he was stumbling all over the place, his head filled with light and fuzzy feelings. He laughed a lot too, and at some points the world seemed to tilt funnily, but he did well in the dances, or at least better than most. By now over half the people were drunk or bordering on it. Link never imagined inebriation would feel so…so…

"Link."

His head snapped up, his blurred vision seeking…

"Zelda?" he said, but it must have come out as a 'blah', because Adra merely grasped his hands and giggled.

"Dance with me?" she said, tugging him into the mass of revelers.

Somehow disappointed - although he couldn't fathom why - he smiled and assented, seeing as how he had little will to resist anyways.

Adra pulled him into the middle of the floor as the next ditty started. From somewhere far away he thought he heard Vrel shout out 'Way to go, Link!', but it was lost to him as Adra positioned his hands appropriately and he instinctively led her into a dance. They spun and jumped, all the while laughing with delight. Yet with each spin and with each jump, Link grew more and more pressured, as if a weight was gradually settling on his shoulders.

It was a relief when the dance finally ended, but before he could sit down and rest for a bit Adra had pulled him with her across the bridge and onto firm soil. In the thick trees of the surrounding forest the light from the lanterns didn't reach far and only remained small pinpricks in the distance. With the darkness, some of that pressure was alleviated, but a grand portion of it still remained.

Adra led them to a small glade, glistening in the moonlight. She turned and beamed widely at him. Link halted beside her and grinned back. He felt awfully malleable for some reason. He didn't think he'd be able to put up a proper fight even if she decided to dunk him in the lake right now.

Her eyes sparkled as she gazed at him. "Aren't the stars magnificent tonight?"

He registered the conversation starter as romance talk and mentally groaned. Curious…how it bothered him.

He blinked slowly, as suddenly the world began to spin, and when next he opened his eyes he was startled to see her standing directly in front of him, peering at him intensely. She reached a hand and gently fingered the lobe his pointed ear.

"Did it hurt?" she asked, expression one of concern.

Adra was only sixteen and still had over half a year before the village threw an equally massive celebration for her seventeenth birthday. Her ears were round and free of any metals hanging from them.

Link gulped and quickly shook his head, regretting that action at once when the pressure increased. "Not really. A short…pinch…is all."

The words came to him slowly and were somewhat slurred. But Adra didn't seem to mind as she smiled at him. As the miller's daughter her family was one of the wealthiest in the village, and thusly her clothes and dresses were of a better quality than most the other young girls, more flattering too. When usually garbed in white trousers and cream shirt with a vivid green overcoat and sash, right now she donned a lovely yellow dress than matched her pale blonde hair, let loose for the occasion.

In a moment of fogginess, Link grabbed her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close and brushing his cheek against her hair. Soft and golden, scent of roses and lushwood…

"Woah there. I think you enjoyed the alcohol a bit _too_ much," said Adra, hugging him back. "We haven't done this in a while, not since we were kids." She sighed and then asked quietly, "Do you love me, Link?"

Her question went far over his head, as he couldn't quite grasp what she was saying.

Adra huffed in annoyance. "Lightweight. You're practically a redead when you're drunk, aren't you?" she said, smiling indulgently. "Hey, do you ever think of leaving Heron Falls?"

Link inhaled, immersing himself in the feeling of her. This time her question successfully filtered into the conscious portion of his brain. "Why?"

Adra shifted in his arms. "Heron falls is nice and all, but I want to look at my options. I want to see other places, don't you?"

Link shrugged. "Sometimes. Mostly I'm happy where I am." That was a lie. He couldn't stand being stationary. Open fields called to him. Cities and places he'd never been beckoned him by name, the longing for travel suppressed for as long as he could remember.

Adra pulled away fully and to Link's blurred vision he saw her hair long in golden waves, her eyes a shimmering blue.

"Well, I think it's about time we got out for a while," she said, taking his hands in hers. "We could roam a bit, go to Kakariko village and Death Mountain to see the Gorons. Or Lake Hylia, it's supposed to be quite stunning in the summer time. I know! Let's go to Castle Town, Link! Oh, I've always wanted to see it! And we might even see the regent! The ruler of all of Hyrule!"

"Regent?" he muttered tiredly. "Prin…cess?"

Adra took a good look at him and frowned, her short locks of white-blonde hair floating in the breeze. "Princess? What are you on about?"

Link's head drooped, his tongue becoming thick and unusable. Suddenly the world seemed to convulse around him, a dizzying sensation hit him, making his stomach surge and his head pound. Everything attacked him at once, raining down on him like one enormous flood of water. The pressure! It was unbearable!

"Argh!" He cried and stumbled away, clutching his head in agony.

Adra shrieked and jumped away, spooked. Hesitantly she reached towards him. "Link? Link, what is it? What's wrong?"

Link pulled at his hair, panting harshly. Another wave of pressure and pain coalesced over him and he was brought to his knees, curling into a ball and then arching his back, his head snapping upwards, eyes squeezed tight.

"AHHHHHHHH!"

Link howled in lament to the heavens. He curled into himself, wracked with the most intense pain he'd ever experienced. He wanted it to stop, he prayed for it to stop! It pounded at his skull, his brain a blazing mass of dendrites firing at a rapid pace, images rushing in torrents through his mind's eye. Emotions of torment, despair, fear, agony, hope, peace, love, then the most miserable feeling of ultimate sorrow, consumed him.

He panted, unable to catch his breath, unable to breathe.

He could barely hear as Adra rushed back to the bridge calling out in panic. "Someone, help!"

"ARRRGH!"

His head was being bashed open, again and again. Hundreds of swords and knifes pierced him all at once. His vision spotted, then blackened. He passed out just as the pounding of footsteps heralded the arrival of help.

One lingering image pursued him as tears streaked down his face.

* * *

><p>He was floating in a realm of darkness; the only sound a single drip of water. Peace flowed through him, a sense of calm contentedness. A figure suddenly manifested in the distance, glowing and wrapped in a consuming cloak. He stretched his arm out, suddenly desperate to reach them. The figure turned, eyes trained on him before it faced forward, and began to walk away.<p>

No…

No!

Don't go!

* * *

><p>"ZELDA!"<p>

He shot up, blankets falling all over him in a puddle, hand still reaching for something he could not grasp. He stayed there, panting, sweat beading down his face as awareness soon returned to him. Slowly, realization settled over him and he sighed a long breath, hand flopping to his lap. He stared unseeingly downwards his eyes filling with tears.

There was the rushed thudding of footsteps from down the hall and he quickly swiped his eyes, erasing all signs of his discomfiture.

The door burst open and Roark appeared. "Link, my boy! Are you alright?"

Link looked up at his current father figure, noting his haggard appearance and rapid breathing. Their lack of blood relationship was obvious in their features, while Roark was tall and broad, Link was short and lithe, Roark had vivid red hair and a shadow around his cheeks and chin, while Link's own hair was a dirty blonde and no matter how patiently he'd waited facial hair had yet to take root.

Roark pulled up a chair and gave Link a quick sweep over. Almost casually Link buried his left hand in the blankets.

"Link," said Roark, his burly voice low with concern, "what happened? What was that sudden episode? Was it the drink?"

Link scoffed and looked away. "You know it wasn't."

Roark gazed at him piercingly and rubbed his chin. "Nay, it wasn't. Drink doesn't cause one to dissolve into fits of pain…sounded like you were being tortured back there."

Mentally he chaffed, _I was_.

"Anyways," continued Roark, running his hand over the back of his neck. "I'll go get you some soup, and then tell everyone you're alright. You gave us all quite the scare. Had to end the party earlier than planned. Most of us thought you were being attacked by one of those beasts then we were all confused when Adra said it was just you. Some fools say it's a bit ominous. You suddenly collapsing, especially since it happened on your birthday."

Link flinched and held back from groaning, instead rubbing his temples as another round of pain hit. His head was killing him.

Roark noted his discomfort and went to get him the soup. He soon returned and handed the warm bowl to him. Link ate it slowly, appreciating the menial task and the repetitive motions. There was a lot on his mind right now, too much to focus on strictly anything at a time.

"Feeling better?" asked Roark gruffly, and although he didn't quite cut the fatherly figure, his efforts were good-willed and hearty enough.

Link nodded in affirmation and sipped some more of his soup.

"Should I get Adra then? She's been worrying herself sick over you, thinks it's somehow her fault. Poor girl," Roark said, scratching the back of his neck. And then as if it were his duty, he added with a subtle hint. "She really does care for you though."

Link's faltered and nearly lost his grip on the spoon. He slammed it into his bowl. "No!"

Roark narrowed his eyes. "Pardon my hearing? I don't like that sudden tone you have."

Link realized his mistake and said more lightly. "No, it's fine. I'm fine. I just…just…want to be alone for a while."

Roark's eye's softened as he patted Link comfortingly on the back. "You've been through a lot these past few days. I understand how it wouldn't look good to be appear weak in front of someone who matters to you."

He frowned. Was Roark suggesting he was embarrassed?

Pushing himself up, a few bones creaking, Roark headed out of the room. "Rest for a bit. I gave you yesterday off because you were out of it, and the day before because it was your birthday. But today's the last day I'm giving you. By tomorrow you'll be put to work whether you're well or not."

Link's lips started to twitch upward but he hastily forced it down. "Yes, sir."

"Good," said Roark, then closed door all the way to leave Link alone.

Link heaved a long hard sigh.

He kept his mind carefully blank as he finished off his soup and set the bowl aside. Gingerly he turned his hand over and eyed the back of it. Over the peachy sheen of his skin was the mark of the Triforce, three equilateral golden triangles, all connected at the tips to form a larger triangle.

He'd carefully kept it concealed as he'd eaten, facing it away from Roark, but he'd need a pair of gloves, and soon. He remembered the last time he'd flaunted the golden triangle around without heed and the repercussions that consequently followed. He would not be so foolish again, at least not until he was well stocked and supplied and up to par with his previous selves. He felt out of shape, it was a wonder he'd done so well in the sparing matches.

Flopping down on the bed, he drew up the blankets and settled in for a long nap. He was exhausted beyond belief. Having all of his memories of his previous lives returned to him all at once had taken its toll, and he was left with the familiar feeling of misplacement. His current mindset battled to assimilate with all his others into one masterful one, but it wouldn't happen in a day. Different faces, people he once knew, friends and enemies, all converged and for a moment it was difficult to differentiate between who belonged to which lifetime, which Link knew who and what information. So while the battle waged on, he would procure the most amount of rest possible in his situation. By Nayru, this would have been immensely easier had he lived on his own and could dwell on his thoughts without any interference.

Eventually, exhaustion took over and he was sound asleep.

* * *

><p>He awoke hours later and by then the day had gone and night had fallen, shadowing his room in a cloak of blackness. Link's eyes flashed open and he eased out of bed. He pulled on his boots, all the while straining an ear in order to keep track of Roark's heavy snoring.<p>

Slowly, he slid the window open and crept out into the night.

The village was silent and serene. A peaceful little way town that nobody really paid any attention to, and Link pondered on the strategic little methods the Goddesses used to see him safe until grown to adulthood. In an unremarkable little village it was almost ascertained that he'd have a calm and easy childhood. Only that one time had he been reared in Castle Town itself, as the ward of one of the guards. It was simple to deduce that it was because at that time monsters had abound in massive hoards all over the country and Castle Town had been the safest place to be.

Link skimmed around the perimeter of the village, enclosed on two sides by tall cliff walls, a small means of defense. It offered only two exits, one to the woods, and the other to a broad road where travellers and merchants passed. As much as he desired to follow the road and encounter Hyrule's large open fields, he drifted from that path and instead entered the forest.

It would only be for a short while, to gauge how much he needed to work on, but he was fairly confident. Work in the forge had already strengthened his upper body, but he could imagine his footwork and reflexes needed a bit of fine-tuning. As he walked he searched the brambles until he found a decent size stick, relatively straight and sturdy. He swiped the air a few times, and once he arrived at a familiar glade far enough away from the village he set about performing his old training exercises.

He first determined his shoddiness at handling a weapon, swinging the piece of wood in vertical, horizontal and diagonal strikes, and as familiarity flowed through him and his body began picking up on lessons long ago learned, he began twirling it in intricate arrays.

He conjured up an imaginary foe and brought his 'sword' to bear. The form took the shape of a large piggish creature, a middle ranked enemy called a moblin. He attacked with ease, incorporating maneuvers from his former lifetimes and slowly regaining his technique. The imaginary moblin swiped its sword at him. Link quickly ducked and rolled, pulling up in an upward slash. The moblin fell forward, its back sliced open and it 'poofed' out of existence.

Link continued battling invisible foes, setting himself up against hordes at a time, defending against multiple enemies at once until he broke out into a sweat. It all ended when, in a frenzied slash, he tripped over a root and collided with the ground.

He lay there gazing up into the canopy, his breaths coming in gasps. His muscles burned ferociously, a welcoming feeling that gave him renewed vigor.

At length, he sat up. Crossing his legs, he placed the wood across his lap. He mentally reviewed his mock fight and assessed his skill level. There was much to be done, as was expected. His arms moved too fast for his feet, he kept losing balance and he needed to work on conserving his momentum for the next attack rather than drawing back. Above all what desired the most improvement was his abysmal stamina. He hadn't been at it for more than half an hour and that annoyed him. He recalled weeks and weeks of running around Hyrule, full days spent fighting gruesome monsters.

That and his level of alertness, he thought aptly as he at once swivelled his gaze over to meet the bright green eyes of his watcher, peering out at him from the trees.

He swiftly pulled himself to his feet, stumbling as his legs ached in protest. "Adra, what are you doing here?"

Adra's eyes rounded even wider than they'd already been. Hesitantly, she came forward out of the brush, her expression a mixture of disbelief and wonder. "I came to see how you were doing. I saw you leaving your house and followed," she explained then paused. "How did you do that? All those moves with that stick. You didn't fight like that in the sparring matches."

Link sighed, annoyed that she had to be so nosy, and doubly annoyed that he hadn't caught her following him. "You should get back, Adra. The woods are not safe at night."

Adra's forehead creased in a frown, her lips thinning. "And what are you doing out here, may I ask?" she replied heatedly. "It's just as dangerous for you. If Roark knew you sneaked out in the night to practice your sword waving he'd be furious!"

"Adra, keep it down!" Link urged, ears pricking at the strident howl of a wolfos in the distance.

Adra paled at the noise and looked abashed and fisted her hands. "You're right. I'm sorry."

He waved off her apology and flung the stick somewhere into the brush. "Let's just go back, alright?"

She nodded. "Alright."

They walked in silence, all the while Link kept his eyes and ears on guard for anything dangerous. Forest keese fluttered their wings in their perches high in the trees, occasionally swooping down to hunt, but largely keeping to themselves. He steered them clear of a well-known patch of deku babas, walking along a deer path leading towards the river. It was quiet for a time, however the peace didn't last as Adra piped up.

"Link, what happened the other night, on your birthday?"

Link didn't directly meet her eyes as he adopted an air of trivial nonchalance. He diverted her question with one of his own. "What are you doing up at night anyways?"

Adra huffed in irritation. "I told you, I was worried about you. Now, what happened?" she pressed before saying softly, "You were crying out in pain and at first I thought it was that cut from your match against Keegan, but then you started to…I don't know, glow. A golden light surrounded you and then faded. The only thing left was…"

His footsteps faltered and his heart stuttered all at once. "Yes?" he pressed, breath catching in his throat.

Adra stopped suddenly, looking away. Link stopped with her, needing to know if she had seen it. Abruptly she shot her hand out and snagged his wrist. Link tried to pull away, but the damage had been done. In the moonlight the clear outline of a golden triangle shone visible on his left hand. He realized that her eyes hadn't even moved towards the mark and that they'd been watching his face the entire time. She hadn't needed to see it to know that it was there. And if she knew where to look for it, that meant that the other night she'd seen it too.

He yanked his hand away and pulled down his sleeve to cover the mark. She scowled. "Don't be absurd Link. For Farore's sake, I've already seen it. It glowed too and I had to cover it up because it looked like something important."

"You can't tell anybody," hissed Link, vehemently.

Adra appeared startled. "I-I wasn't going to," she murmured silently. "Those triangles…that's the Triforce isn't it? The mark of the Goddesses? But what does it mean, Link?"

Things were quickly spiralling into turmoil and he had to stop her from inquiring further. "It means nothing." He clenched his jaw to calm himself then narrowed a stern gaze at her. "You can't say a word about this to anyone."

"Roark has a right to know," she pressed, glaring up at him.

Link grit his teeth then sighed. He was going about this all wrong. Forcing his pounding heart to steady, he gingerly took one of Adra's hands into both of his and gazed at her eyes, imploringly. "Please. No one can know."

Adra's fierce eyes met his and softened. She squeezed his hand. "Only because it's so important. I won't tell." She smiled and stepped forward, closing the space between them. "It will be our little secret."

Link smiled back but halfheartedly. He shifted to allow him more room. "Thank you."

"I know the village means a lot to you, and you wouldn't want anything bad to happen. If that really is the mark of the Goddesses…"

Link almost groaned and pulled her along through the trees. "Come on. It's late."

At the northern end of the village there was a river that ran all the way from Zora's domain to Heron Falls, creating the great cascade that it was renowned for. The water swelled and formed Heron Lake before it continued its journey southward, funnelling into another river and flowing onwards to Lake Hylia. On the southern river was the watermill and a cottage nearby that housed the miller and his family.

Link escorted Adra to her doorstep and she glanced back as him as she made to enter. Link turned to quickly walk away, but her hopeful voice called him to a halt.

"Link."

Long bred courtesy forced him to stop and hear what she had to say. He twisted his head to look over his shoulder, seeing her hovering on the threshold, but said nothing. This resembled too much like a romantic parting for his conscious.

"Link," she started, but something in his demeanor must have enlightened her to his unease as she merely stepped into the house and eased the door closed. "Goodnight." Then it clicked shut and he was left alone.

He snuck back through the window of his house, noting that there hadn't even been a pause in the rhythm of Roark's snoring. Link lay in his bed, mind engaged in a furious number of activities, too awake to settle down as of yet. He would sort it out as he always did. One day at a time. He'd live through tomorrow and plan the next day, doing this the load on his mind could be broken down into simpler parts. There was much to do, but he couldn't do it all at once. He had to plan.

* * *

><p>Vrel came to visit him in the forge the next morning. Link was shirtless, sweat beading down his brow, and marking trails between his shoulder blades and along his back. Heat blasted in his face and he pounded the metal into shape, his left hand holding the hammer with a firm grip, newly acquired fingerless gloves creating a layer between wood and skin.<p>

"What is it, Vrel? Can't you see I'm busy?" he said curtly and brought the hammer down with a ringing clang.

But Vrel was wise to the methods of deterrence. He'd annoyed more people than just Link and Link's attempts to drive him away had no effect. Rather, he watched in the doorway where the breeze cooled him from the harsh glower of the forge. The cloth door was pulled aside and hooked around a jutting prod to allow air circulation, but no matter, the sun beat hot and the forge was as boiling as ever. Why Link had been reduced to this profession he couldn't imagine. It was like trekking a full day through the sands of the Gerudo desert while bundled up for winter.

Roark had gone ahead to deliver some horseshoes, so the forge was his for the day.

Vrel smiled playfully. "Had fun the other night?"

Link looked thoughtful, all the while still hammering away. "What other night?" He feigned innocence. Surely he hadn't witnessed his little escapade into the woods and leaving them with Adra. That would have surely raised suspicions, and not a small bit of scandal either.

Vrel only chuckled wryly. "Your birthday," he said jauntily. "You and Adra, dancing under the moonlight, and then running off to Farore knows where, ring any bells?"

Oh, he remembered. And it eluded him why Vrel insisted on pushing them together and didn't pursue the girl himself. After all, he had agreed she was probably the best catch among their age group. So why did he insist…

"Did you kiss? Are you officially courting now?"

Link studied the mangled piece of glowing metal and used the tongs to douse it in a bucket of cool water. It was slowly beginning to take shape.

He sniffed. "You're beginning to sound like a woman in want for gossip. And no, nothing happened. We danced and then I blacked out. Doesn't everyone know? Shouldn't you be asking how I'm feeling, hmm? I was bedridden for two days, you know."

Vrel waved him off. "You're feeling fine. Listen, you're even bickering with me. Don't we make a marvelous pair of old house wives?"

Link sighed and continued with his work. "What are you really doing here? And why aren't you at work with your parents?"

At this Vrel simply grinned brightly, having ignored the question entirely. Vrel's antics tended to amuse him on the best of days, however, today he just didn't feel like it… he wasn't in the mood to indulge in his friend's silly games. He wanted to be alone.

"Come on Link," Vrel urged, lithely. "You can admit it to me at least, can't you? I'll even help. I'll spell it out for you. You. Like. Her."

Link blinked and rounded a befuddled gaze at the other boy. "What?"

Vrel's smile only broadened. "Ahhh, your reaction say's differently. Let me respell that for you. You. _Love_. Her."

His heart beat fast as the full extent of the meaning of those words overwhelmed him, bringing up a series of familiar emotions. "Her? Who's her?"

"Adra, of course."

All at once those feelings turned and indignation befell him, marring his face in a dissatisfied frown. "What?"

A small scuffling sound came from beyond the doorway, a villager making their way down the street. Vrel quickly glanced outside then shifted his gaze back to Link's, clearing portraying his disbelief. "You love her."

Link drew up sharply, annoyance slowly morphing into anger. "I don't." He turned back to the forge and pulled the metal out of the bucket then stuffed it back into the fire.

"You do, Link."

Why, why did he have to press the issue? He did not love anyone other than…

A flash of deep blue eyes donning a lovely heart-shaped face breezed across his vision.

He shivered and closed his eyes, hope and yearning allowing him to steady his heart and relax him. Languidly, he opened his eyes.

She was out there, somewhere. And this time, he would not fail her.

He swept his eyes over the tarnished length of steel, not yet fully tempered, but admittedly it was beginning to look like what it was supposed to. Currently he was fashioning himself a sword. Later, when he had the rupees, he'd pay Roark back for it. Just…he had to have a weapon, he wasn't complete unless he had something to defend himself with. To defend others as well, he added as he recalled multiple times bringing up his sword in defense of the innocent.

His demeanor changed into one of cold determination. He'd also have to be prepared for when Ganondorf returned. If the King of Thieves did indeed regain his memories as Link and Zelda did, they had to know when and how much did he remember. Was it at the age of seventeen, like them, or in his later years, or, Goddesses forbid, in his younger years, granting him even more time to ruminate and plan. Also did he recall absolutely everything, or only the most important events of their lifetimes?

In any case, it was Link's sworn duty to face him. That he was born again meant that a calamity would ensue, and he'd be the only one able to stop it before it consumed the world.

"Come on, Link. At least admit that you like her a little," said Vrel, bracing his hands behind his neck.

"No, I don't."

Vrel's blithe smile seemed to falter as he was losing confidence. "Link-"

What was the matter with him? It was not like him to be this persistent. Groaning in annoyance he slammed the hammer down. "Stop it, Vrel. I don't like her in the way that your implications demand that I do, and I definitely do not love her," he told him heatedly. "Can't you see? You and everyone else may be pushing for it, but I assure you there will never be anything between Adra and me. We will never get together, we will never marry, and I will _never_ love her! I do not know what's gotten into you, but now that you've heard me I'd like you to stop…stop going on about this!"

From outside there came a feminine gasp and then a wavered inhalation of breath. Vrel dropped his hands and darted his gaze over to the other side of the doorway, eyes wide and worried. Footsteps pounded onto the earth as someone sped away in a rush. Vrel appeared to be struggling with whether to tear after the fleeing person or to stay and give Link a piece of his mind.

He settled on sending a heat-filled look at Link that spoke of anger and disappointment. "You're heartless, Link. You know that?"

Link gazed unflinchingly back at him, expressing no emotion. Vrel snorted in disgust and ran after Adra. Leaf came in a moment later, worried and distraught.

"What happened?" he gasped quickly. "What did you say to Vrel?"

Link immediately pierced him with accusing eyes. "You knew about this?"

Leaf shifted uneasily then reluctantly nodded, casting furtive glances down the road in the direction Adra had fled. "Vrel was going to get you to tell him how you feel about Adra while she listened in, and in return she'd assist him in getting closer to Marle. But it appears things didn't go so well."

That was an understatement. Things had gone horrid. Vrel thought him a heartless bastard and Adra revealed herself to be too self-involved to accept the truth of his feelings. He refused to feel any guilt whatsoever. It was their own fault for scheming behind his back. They had no right to pressure him like this, neither Vrel, nor Roark, nor the rest of the village had any right. Just because they'd been childhood friends and were still close didn't mean anything had to happen between them.

Leaf appeared to be upset but at the same time he looked relieved as if a hope had been rekindled inside of him.

Link sighed and gave his back to his friend. "You… Go to her, Leaf. Large as he is, Vrel doesn't have enough shoulder for her to cry on. And you know Adra. When she cries, she cries rivers. She's going to require a back up."

That motivated Leaf to quickly rush out of the forge, flashing him an apologetic look as he dashed off. Link slowly relaxed his rigid shoulders, and rotated his neck, alleviating the tension in his muscles.

He looked at the scrap of metal that would become his sword and set it aside to work on later.

He sat heavily on a stool and leaned back against the wall, propping his head upwards. That little mess brought up painful memories. Faces of all the girls he'd associated with, all those who'd played major roles in his lives, emerged and he diligently went through them giving them each names. Malon, Ilia, Emma, Mell, and now Adra, all who'd nearly passed the boundaries of friendship into the territory of lover, the only one who'd ever come close had been Mell…

He hated thinking about her. He hated dwelling on his last life and so suppressed the memories, but couldn't prevent the sorrow from reaching up and grasping at him.

He heaved himself up. The most important fact he knew was that the faster he caught up to his old selves, the faster he could leave, and the faster he could reunite with the one person who mattered.

_Zelda, wait for me. I'm coming for you._

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you all enjoyed!<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to Generala, Death Waltz, eclair. belmont, Linkette, PianoPlayer1200, Nanaimobar, Nomnom11, Anon-Reader, Dellange, and Bloodspire for reviewing!**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

A coarse wind swept over the lake, ruffling it's surface and creating small waves. Link stood at the edge of the beach, the toes of his shoes inches from the water. Bending down he sustained a crouched position and withdrew his stick, tapping one end against the water and distorting the image of himself reflecting back at him.

He began a series of taps, doling on the water as a percussionist would a tune on their drums.

Tap tap

Tap tap tap

Tap tap

Tap

Tap tap tap tap

He repeated the same sequence of successions and pauses three times then waited, leaning his weight back on his heels.

He gazed out over the cool clear water, glistening in the light of the sun. Over to his left a heron stalked the shallows, searching for unwary fish that drew near. From the opposite bank he spotted a keaton nosing along the shoreline. It peered up at him questioningly, as if curious to his behavior, then continued on into the brambles.

He glanced around anxiously. He'd completed his work at the forge early just so he could have the extra few hours of free time, but he was wary about being caught. Not that he was doing anything nefarious, just that unwanted questions would be raised, questions which he was unwilling to answer.

After a decent interval, in which he deduced nothing was going to happen, he started again with the tapping sequence and then set to wait, ever patient.

It happened in an instant.

The water began rippling near the center of the lake as something rose up. A dark shadow appeared and shot toward him like an arrow.

Standing, he tossed the stick away and from the lake a fish-like being broke out causing an eruption of water as it vaulted into the air and somersaulted, neatly landing on the patch of sand before him, water lapping at flippered feet.

The Zora eyed him inquisitively then spoke in a soothing voice like the rippling of a pond. "Who are you that you have knowledge of our hidden codes and messages?"

Link met the Zora, gaze for gaze, and answered. "An osprey in the sky, and a heron in the waters, but nothing fazes a minnow-"

"Like a pike in the reeds," the Zora finished automatically. He considered Link then, a small measure of respect was granted as it came to him as to just who Link was. His conclusion only solidified as Link briefly flashed the golden triangle on the back of his left hand. "It's been over a hundred years since you've last arisen, hero."

It had been a simple task to summon a Zora to him. Wherever there was a large body of water the aquatic race was bound to congregate, gathered in their own small communities in the deep depths. And as Heron Lake formed the connection to both Lake Hylia and Zora's Domain, Zoras were guaranteed to be abound.

"A hundred years of well earned peace, then," said Link, and his voice became somber. "And now evil approaches once more. Tell me, who is the current ruler of the Zoras?"

The Zora moved from the shore and waded into deeper water where he was more comfortable. "Our queen, the descendent of the great King Malgius, Queen Helerra," he responded. "I admit, I am uncertain whether to be overjoyed at your presence or dismayed, for you being here heralds dark times for us all, and it is never ascertained that you will prevail."

"I've not failed before," said Link, in full confidence. He had eight lifetimes to back him up.

The Zora looked at him searchingly then conceded. "That you haven't. At any rate, as always, we will give aid as the hero needs it."

Link nodded, expecting no less. "Will you then take me to Zora's Domain?"

"Certainly."

Link approached the Zora. Up to his thighs in lake water he nested his hands around the Zora's proffered head tail. He clutched tightly to the scaly fin as the Zora suddenly dove.

A murky swirl of blue and green met him as they submerged beneath the lake, rays filtering in as shafts of light casting the sun's glow through the clouded waters. As they drew further away from the shore the water beneath him became dark until it was one mass of ominous blackness and he was unable to see the lakebed. Who knew what all lurked in their depths. He was no stranger to sea monsters himself, but it had always been a point of fear in his life, a fear that he'd been forced to set aside in light of duty and necessity.

Link strived not to look downwards and noted how the surface became convoluted as they approached the falls.

The Zora surfaced and Link drew a gasping breath, sucking in the sweet air.

"Apologies," the Zora murmured. "We Zoras often forget about the short spans that Hylians are able to hold their breaths."

"Well," said Link, clinging tightly to the head tail as if wanting to strangle it. "It would be much appreciated if you didn't forget anymore. Need to breath occasionally. A necessity of life, you know."

"I shall take that into consideration," the Zora replied.

"Yes. Thank you."

Link indicated when he was suitably ready and the Zora dove again then started up the waterfall. Link clenched his eyes and closed his mouth as the falls pummelled him in its incessant gravitational drive. He felt remotely relieved when they reached the top and the Zora granted him a few minutes to catch his breath before continuing on upstream.

Link could only thank the Goddesses that he was born as a summer child. He mentally shivered at the thought of how unbearable the journey to Zoras Domain would have been if he'd had to contend with the frigid temperatures of winter. Death would have met him as he was consumed with shock and frostbite. If not his life, he would be sure to lose a few fingers and toes. The winter was harsh, and he would not have been able to delay reaching Zoras Domain. As it was, summer was far more pleasant.

His arrival at the Domain led to quite a bit of shock. Zoras basking on the rocks or swimming lazily in the pool looked up sharply and stared as his escort carried him to the throne room. He wasn't sure where Hylians stood in their relationship to the Zoras in this lifetime, but it had never before deteriorated to hostile intentions against the other as various relationships had with the Gerudos or Gorons. He was confident he was not being led into a sort of trap. Although, the way those Zoras were eyeing him was quite unnerving.

He'd be on his toes, just in case. It wouldn't do to naively place his trust in a tribe that he'd once allied with, as alliances tended to change over the centuries.

Zoras Domain had changed very little over the interval between his previous and latest rebirth. If anything it had expanded to offer more solid ledges so that those who were not Zoras could get around easier, without having to rely on the Zoras' swimming expertise. The great waterfall that featured as the main entry to the throne room loomed high before them and Link watched as a pair of armored Zoras came diving down.

His escort bobbed in the water for a bit, before speaking to him. "Would you rather take the stairs, hero? The journey upwards can be a tad overbearing to mere Hylians. It would require you to hold your breath for three minutes at the least."

Link smirked. "You're forgetting, I've gone up this waterfall many times before, and on the backs of Zoras who took less than half that time."

Bristling, the Zora took his silent challenge to heart and without any preamble, shot up the waterfall. Link had barely a moment to take a breath before his face was full of water and he twisted his head away to direct most of the pressure aside.

At the top the Zora swam into an offside shallow pool where the waters were still and Link could get his bearings. They waded onto the banks and without a word, but with a self-satisfied air about him, the Zora stomped away. Link smirked and followed at a leisurely pace.

They hadn't quite reached the chamber when the Zora motioned for him to halt.

"Wait here a moment. I shall announce to her majesty of your arrival and have the throne room cleared out." Then he rushed on ahead.

After a few minutes in which quite a number of Zoras were being ushered out, all the while casting him mixed looks of interest or annoyance, the Zora escort summoned him and he was led before the Queen Zora.

Queen Helerra was young, perhaps a few years his senior, but what struck him most was not that she didn't resemble even remotely like her ancestor King Malgius, but that she was undeniably tall, a good two feet taller than himself actually. Then again he was cursed indefinitely to remain short. It was the bane of his existence – of all of his existences - that he did not meet a high enough standard to be declared even average height. For a male his ego had taken a dire blow, although conditioning had hardened him to the effects over time.

Queen Helerra stood pacing before her throne. Another Zora, who he could only assume was her personal advisor, was watching her keenly as if waiting for any remote signal that prefigured as to what she was thinking. Upon his entrance he caught her gaze and she all but beamed at him, a fervent enthusiasm that left him with a sense of eeriness.

"Great hero! We have eagerly awaited your arrival these past eleven decades and are overjoyed to have you among us once again," she gushed, stepping forward to grasp his hands and look them over for the Triforce mark, grinning in satisfaction as the symbol twinkled back at her reassuringly.

Link was speechless, caught in a mild form of shock. The only other Zora he'd known to be this zealous had been Queen Ruto. It contrasted highly with the normally soft and docile demeanor that he was more accustomed to among the Zora race.

The Queen looked him up and down, and ever so slowly her expression fell and her eyes crinkled with uncertainty. Leaning away she whispered to her advisor from the corner of her mouth. "You sure this is the hero? He's rather scrawny, I always pictured him to be…you know…a touch more on the brawn side, if you get what I'm saying."

The advisor shrugged helplessly. "You fantasize to your own tastes, my Queen. When reality hits, it is never as one expects."

Queen Helerra nodded, shaking Link's hand furiously. This time she didn't even bother to hush her words. "Too true, too true. Well met, hero…er…what was your name again. It eludes me how, but the hero's name always seems to detach itself from any and all historical records."

Affronted, Link snatched his hand away right as the Queen dropped it, debating whether to remain and endure or to leave and come back when the next heir assumed the throne. The problem with the later was that it might require decades before any change in power came about, and that was time he didn't have. He should have known to expect the random whacko from Ruto's line.

Sighing in resignation, he replied solidly. "It's Link. And please, your majesty, I need-"

She flicked her hand, holding up a finger and abruptly cutting him off. "You're quite right. We're wasting time. The small talk can be reserved for later when evil is not upon us. A great quest awaits you, and by the grace of the Zoras, and with the guidance of their queen," to which, she indicated herself and the Zora escort and advisor bowed reverently, "the hero shall prevail."

She then turned and waltzed away. "Come," she ordered without looking to see if he followed. "I know why you are here. I shall take you to the hero's chamber. Joran, you come along as well."

The advisor, so named Joran, indicated for Link to follow, but before Link did he nodded thankfully at his escort. "Thanks for the ride."

His escort quirked the arch over his eye where what would have been an eyebrow resided and nodded in returned. "Don't mention it. And especially not with that phrasing."

Link took a moment to splutter and gasp, face reddening with indignation, rankled at the implication. He took a threatening step forward, and the escort took a mirrored step back, smiling teasingly. "Why you – that was – How dare -"

"Hero!"

His attention was drawn to Queen Zora and Joran, who were a ways ahead of him, embarking down a set of stairs. When he turned back, his infuriating escort had disappeared. Swam away as fast as his fishy limbs could take him, no doubt.

Grumbling and cursing, he pivoted harshly to follow the queen. The flush on his cheeks only finally abated as they reached what Queen Helerra had designated as the hero's chamber. The pair of guards standing sentinel on either side of the great stone door hastily stepped aside at the approach of their queen.

She nodded her permission and the guards jabbed the butt end of their spears into a pair of openings on the lock mechanism. They tugged in opposite directions, causing the enormous lock to spin, tumblers grating, and then cracking along the center as a small indent revealed itself. The queen then held up a coral pendant from around her neck, and, casting Link a wink, inserted it into the indent and made a cruel twist. Link and the other Zoras flinched. Although he wasn't sure why, he somehow perceived that act as rather destructive. At once the doors broke open, and the guards grasped the edges to widen them further, unearthing a round chamber.

Familiarity overwhelmed him as he stepped within. Torches along the wall lit up with blue fire upon his entrance. His eyes darted to and fro, taking note of what was new and what was old. The queen leaned against the stone archway, her arms crossed and smiling at his awe.

She waved her hand. "There you have it. Take your pick."

Link looked around and thought he would do just that.

It had occurred to him around four lifetimes ago that he should find a means of preserving the sacred artifacts he'd gathered on his journeys so that they would not be lost to time or decay. Also this way it wouldn't be such a hassle to have to relocate said items all over again, and he wouldn't constantly need to backtrack because there'd be some places he just couldn't reach on his own. Some of them had to be returned to their original locations, but many others, like his bomb bag, his magic pouches, and – oh yes! – his beloved hookshot, had been stored for safekeeping. Gingerly he held the weathered piece of metal, complete with its coil and spring…although, it wasn't really weathered. Actually it was rather shiny for a centuries old gadget. He turned it over in his hand, utterly perplexed as he began to notice the various differences between this hookshot and the one that he recalled from long ago.

"Impressed? I had it commissioned from the Goron blacksmiths all the way on Death Mountain. Would have taken an arm and a leg to pay for it, had I not told them it was for the chosen hero, I got a marvelous discount for that. The fools didn't even question why I'd requested three! You see, I just knew that the hero would arise within the next generation or two; the sudden increase of monsters around Hyrule is a rather good indicator of rising evil, and our priestess has been having distorted illusions about it for a time," the Zora Queen carried on exuberantly. "It has added length to it, it's faster, it can latch deeply into the wood without worry of loosening, and it can even penetrate stone. Why, there's even a small switch that when activated can release deadly shocks of electricity if you were to use it on an enemy. Ingenious, isn't it?"

Link gazed at it, stunned. He mumbled something inaudible under his breath.

Queen Helerra cocked her head, rather pleased with herself. "Pardon? A little louder, if you please." She leaned forward, a smile on her face as she waited for some form of praise.

Link inhaled waveringly and reiterated. "Where is the original? What did you _do_ with it?"

The queen laughed lightly, hand waving in a flitting motion. "That old scrap of metal?" She shrugged. "Threw it away, it was way outdated. Its make has not been used since the Hero of Time's era, but you would know that, wouldn't you hero?" She winked salaciously, but Link was not amused.

He rounded on her, boiling in anger. "You got rid of it?! How could you do that? How can you tell me this like it was nothing?!"

The queen suddenly became somber, eyes narrowed in displeasure. "Of course I did, you ungrateful little twat! It was old! Ancient, rather, and in major disrepair! As were your others items, actually, I've had most of them replaced too!"

Link hastily swivelled around and examined his gear in mute horror. He touched each one, picking them up and looking them over, at once recognizing the new designs and altercations of this era's influence. He set the large hunk of metal that was meant to be the Hylian shield down and slowly turned towards the glowering queen. "How could you…how could you do that? You replaced everything?"

She tilted her head and pressed a long slender finger to her chin in thought. "Well…not absolutely everything. There was no way to mimic the magic in those gauntlets of yours, so those are still there. And then around twenty years ago the lens of truth all of the sudden disappeared. Don't know how to explain that-"

"It's not like I go through your things! Why'd you have to meddle with mine?" shot Link.

"Meddling?" Queen Helerra snarled as she took a menacing step forward, hands fisting. The Zora guards stiffened with fright, trying in vain to shrink into obscurity as their queen was about to have a conniption. Joran shuffled forward but Queen Helerra cut him off before he could say anything.

"It is my duty to keep the hero's things in order so he can be prepared for whatever trials he is to face. It is not my fault if you couldn't take proper care of them. It was _my_ Zoras who polished and oiled your little devices, not you and not the Hylians."

Just outside the door, the guards backed up in fright, their spears quivering in their hands while Joran hovered nearby, hesitant to intercede. It was evident that they quite feared their queen's wrath, and that they were used to her flipping every once and awhile. Somehow though, Joran mustered up his courage and inched forward.

"Please hero, her majesty's intentions were well-founded and pure. She simply wished to aid the future hero in whatever way she could," he said delicately, voice wavering, attempting to smooth over the situation.

Link took a moment to calm down. He took a good look at his arsenal, the devices shiny and new, and, he mused, looking as if they belonged in a display case. Nevertheless, he reluctantly admitted that perhaps the Zora Queen had a point. Hyrule wasn't getting any younger, and besides, the only major differences he could see were the fashion and designs. Other than that they were relatively similar to his old things.

He set about gearing up, fastening the band with his magic pouches around his waist, his baldric over his shoulder and stuffing into them as many items as he thought he needed. Throwing knives were lined in hidden pockets along the baldric and he tugged on his upgraded Zora armor to hide it. He shoved anything that looked as if it were of value in his pouches, decided to only wear the accessories when he actually left the village. Goddesses know how suspicious he'd look showing up donning gold and silver. They'd jump to accusations, believing him a thief and his reputation would quickly plummet.

Once finished, he nodded graciously to the queen, indebted to her. It was by choice that the Zoras had agreed to be the keepers of the hero's artifacts. King Malgius had told him it was no problem since he continuously managed to save the world from impending peril. However, he never felt as if he could ever fully relay his appreciation to the Zoras and so was ever thankful to them.

The queen had simmered down as she'd watched him gather his items and was now smiling at him smugly. "All ready to go? You're not going to throw another fit because I personally autographed the collar of your Zora armor are you?"

"You what!"

But she'd started out of the chamber, directing him to follow. "Consider it a token from the Zora Queen. Aren't you the lucky one to be in her supremeness's favor?"

He fumed silently as she and her advisor led him back up to the throne room where Joran quickly departed to call on Link's escort to return him to the village.

Falling heavily on her throne, the queen sighed dolefully. "I suppose then my part is done. Go now, hero. The world awaits for you to save it," she muttered silently, then frowned. "Although it does seem a premature act, doesn't it? Ordinarily we'd be beneath ice by now, but lo, that hasn't happened. Curious, I say…"

Link halted before her, even seated, his head had to crane upwards to meet her black orbs, hardened in a steely gaze of concern. He spoke to her, a voice of warning. "Perhaps evil has yet to make its move. In any case, I implore you to be cautious, and for a time, do not trust any strangers, especially those who mean to trick you with the intent of goodwill."

Queen Helerra peered down at him, hard and unwavering. "I've already doubled the guard and watch. We aren't allowing any emissaries entrance and are sending Zoran ambassadors to deal with any foreign affairs and interspecies alliances. If anything suspicious does arise, my people shall find a means to contact you."

Joran reappeared with the Zora from Heron Lake. Upon spotting Link, the escort formed a wry grin. Link narrowed his eyes, his earlier annoyance at the fish-being returning full force. Stiffly he bowed one last time to the queen – she may not have the most amiable of natures but his respect was still due – and left with his escort. He hesitated as they reached the waterfall.

"Ready to ride me, oh great hero?"

Link scowled and instead of replying, pulled up his mouth covering then turned and jumped off the ledge. Air whooshed past his face and his eyes teared up against the rushing air. His arms spread and then came together in a neat dive and he pierced the bottom like an arrow, bubbles swirling around him. He'd worn the Zora armor for this very reason and wasn't fazed as he swam for a while just beneath the surface, his mask filtering out the oxygen directly from the surrounding liquid and pulling it into his lungs.

He felt the rippling of water as his guide followed closely beneath him. He swam on his own for a while. Later on he'd have no choice but to use his guide for assistance, but for right now he'd manage fine by himself.

* * *

><p>As soon as Link was lost to sight, Queen Helerra sank further into her throne, a quaint smile flitting at her lips. She released a single short laugh full of glee and closed her eyes, leaning her head on her shoulder, taking full advantage of the reprieve before her court realized that the hero had left and returned in swarms to the throne room.<p>

A slight cough reminded her that she was not entirely alone. Lazily, she swung her head around and fixed Joran with a look of annoyance.

"Yes? Is there something you wish you say?"

Joran hesitated then sighed as he forged on. "It is just…why are you so happy, your majesty? A great evil arises, Hyrule is once again endangered, and yet you smile as if deeply contented."

Her smile broadened. "That is because I am deeply content. At long last, the hero has come. Do you know what that means?"

Joran slowly shook his head in admittance. "What does it mean?"

"It means," the queen relayed, "that a great evil is coming."

At her advisor's continued perplexed and slightly dumbfounded expression. She sighed as if woeful and continued to explain. "Can you name all the great King and Queen Zoras that have come before me?"

Uncertain as to where this was going, Joran replied. "Well, there's Queen Ruto, Queen Rutela and then King Ralis. King Malgius was also noted for being great in his day…but what has that got to do with…"

She leaned back on her throne, fingers fiddling with her coral pendant. "The greatest of our people, and the first of those we teach the youngsters about when reciting history. And do you know what happens to all the other kings and queens…" she paused for effect then answered her own question. "They're forgotten, overshadowed and made indistinct from one another. The only ones who've ever made a mark on history are those who've lived during the dark ages where a hero was required. The reason that I am so happy is not because the hero has turned out to be rather more attractive than I've initially judged him at first impression, but that I'm now in league with those past great rulers. I shall not be cast aside and remembered only fondly of, like one would remember a dear pet, as my father is remembered."

Joran tilted his head, bemused. "So…as long as you'll be remembered as one of our more prominent rulers in history…"

"That is exactly it!"

"But your majesty, you would not be forgotten in time. You do not have to be a great ruler to be remembered, we still have records of all our other monarchs."

Queen Helerra waved her hand dismissively. "Oh certainly I'll not be forgotten. I'm aiding Hyrule's hero, am I not? I will be known for my greatness in ages to come, that is what a great ruler strives for."

Joran shook his head, uncertain how to react to that. But it didn't matter now. The queen would have what she wanted, and as long as she continued her rule as she was, their people would do well. It wasn't likely to interfere with her work, so let her indulge in her belief.

Murmuring to herself, silently, the queen gazed at her coral pendant between her fingers as she twisted it this way and that. "Unlike you father, I will not be forgotten…"

* * *

><p>They toppled down Heron Falls just as the moon peeked its crescent glow over the horizon. The Heron Lake Zora veered towards the village and, spinning, made a quick jerking motion that loosened Link's grip and sent him skimming the last few feet to the shore. He crashed into the beach, hands splaying out in front of him and face planting in the sand. He spat a wad of gritty sand out of his mouth and turned a narrowed gaze at his Zora escort - who had <em>still<em> yet to name himself.

The escort laughed and submerged beneath the water without so much as a word of parting. Groaning, Link sat up and splashed water on his face and rinsed his mouth. He grimaced as a foul taste remained, but bore it. As he ambled onto shore he checked his things and became distressed as he discovered that water had seeped into one of his magic pouches and had soaked the two other tunics that the queen had supplied.

"Perfect," he scowled, divesting himself of the Zora armor and patting down his village clothes. It would take ages to wash the reek of lake water out of them.

He discarded the pouches and emptied the one of water as best he could before folding it and bundling it with the Zora armor. A search among the rock clefts revealed a small cavity where he could stash the items until it came time to depart. Keeping two knives concealed in the waistband underneath his clothes, he added his baldric to the pile and then covered it with driftwood and moved the rocks around a bit. It wasn't too noticeable, but he figured it was good enough not to arouse suspicion. The last thing he needed was for someone to discover his stash and to steal it under his notice.

He arrived home late into the night, dismayed at the sight of smoke rising from the chimney and a light in the window, indicating that Roark had waited up for him. He hadn't meant to be gone for so long and felt a slight bit of guilt at the worrying his foster father must have gone through.

Additionally, no doubt he'd been aware of the sudden changes Link had implemented in his lifestyle and was worrying over that as well.

Every morning Link rose before the sun – when before he'd laze about as long as he could just to catch a few extra seconds of sleep - and wandered deep into the woods to practice his sword fighting skills. Working in the forge took up most of his day, and whenever Roark wasn't around or whenever he had a spare moment he'd continue crafting his sword. The sword, now complete, lay hidden sheathless beneath the mattress of his bed.

He'd transitioned from a sociable young man to a practical recluse, keeping alone and generally away from others, the only exceptions were his close friends. For a while Vrel would scowl whenever he caught sight of him, and Leaf would shrug and encourage him to wait it out. Grudges in the village never lasted long, and Vrel did eventually come around, but still maintained that Link was the most heartless bastard alive and prodded whenever he could about the reason why he didn't show any interest in Adra. On the other hand, Adra avoided him like the plague, a huge relief as it unloaded a lot of tension. He would have avoided her anyways. That she was doing it for him was less hassle. For the past few weeks though he hadn't had much time to spend with either of his friends. Too busy preparing for the impending journey to Castle Town.

He considered sneaking in through his window, but then settled on the front door. He'd been distant lately. Roark deserved his courtesy at least.

Sure enough, Roark was sitting in his favorite chair, smoking his pipe and staring into the glowing fire, deep in thought. The kettle whistled and Link mindlessly folded a rag and pulled it away, fixing a cup of tea for Roark first then himself.

Roark snapped out of his daze and gasped suddenly at Link's appearance, to which Link winced, foresight having failed to remind him to fix that little problem. As it was, he was soaking wet and dripping all over the floor.

"Great Farore, Link! What happened to you?" he exclaimed, and Link had the good grace to appear contrite.

"I…went for a swim…" he muttered with no other explanation coming to mind.

"In the middle of the night? What for?"

He shrugged absently. "It was hot, I needed to cool off a bit."

Roark got up, pipe nipped tight between his teeth. "Don't move lest you spread the water. I'll be back."

Link stayed in place and Roark returned with a towel, which Link used to dry his hair and dab as best he could at his clothes. He made to get the mop but Roark shooed him away. "Get changed, then clean this up. We have to talk."

Link did as he told. Tossing his wet things in a basket, he donned his only other pair of clothes – aside from the new garments Queen Zora had donated - and returned in record time. Roark was standing there with the mop and Link took it from him and worked on clearing the floor. Roark was silent as he finished up, having taken his seat and inhaling heavily through his pipe. He exhaled, and a long wisp of smoke floated upward.

Link put the mop away and sat down nursing his cup of tea. Distantly an owl hooted in the night. At length, Roark set his pipe down. "You're planning on leaving soon, aren't you?"

Link had braced himself, knowing this conversation wasn't long in coming, and was partially glad that Roark had brought it up himself. Either way, it was not an easy topic.

The silence extended from a few seconds to a full minute, and with that Roark took it as affirmation. "I can't hold you back if you're intent on leaving. I wouldn't do that to you. But…I do have one request."

Link looked up, surprised at Roark's easy acceptance, however that could be attributed to the fact that Link was not truly his son. Letting go of a blood relative had to be infinitely harder than a mere apprentice. "What is it?" If it were feasible he would do it.

Roark grinned at him, tapping his pipe to his bottom lip. "Don't go alone. If you have to go wandering, take someone with you. There are beasts out there that wouldn't hesitate to tear your throat out if given the chance. I'd feel more at ease knowing that you at least had someone at your back." He puffed on his pipe. "Vrel, maybe. He's been getting wild and restless. Would do that boy good to have a little traveling to drain his energy and harden him."

Link cringed, but forced a smile. He didn't want anyone else coming along but from the look of Roark's sturdy gaze it was evident that he'd not be allowed to go alone. Reluctantly, he nodded, thinking acerbically that he could always part with his company later on. He still didn't fancy being weighed down by another's presence.

Roark was not at all fatherly, but he cared in his own gruff way.

"When do you plan on going?"

Link pondered, hesitantly. "By the end of the week."

"So soon," muttered Roark, and it didn't seem as if he was at all surprised. Link must have been really throwing the hints around. "And how long are you to be gone?"

Link looked away, not knowing how to answer that because he wasn't sure. Roark got the message and smiled indulgently.

"Best be getting to bed then. You have projects to finish up before you go. And don't think I'll hold off on your apprenticeship while your gone. No, I plan to take on a new student."

Link got to his feet. "Thank you, Roark." Then ambled to his room.

"And don't forget to ask Vrel. Goodness knows the village could do without him."

He smiled and called over his shoulder. "I'll ask him in the morning."

He heard Roark grunt and imagined him nodding. "You do that."

* * *

><p>"No. Out of the question. Where do you come up with these absurd little notions?"<p>

Vrel snorted and crossed his arms. "Now, Link, let's not be cross…"

Link nearly erupted. "Cross? I said no!"

They were standing at the gates of the village, packs slung over their shoulders, Link's sword wrapped in a cloth and fastened to the baldric on his back, all ready to go. A small crowd had gathered to see them off, but there was a tiny little detail that Vrel had neglected to inform him of. He'd invited Adra…

"It was my idea," said Adra, angrily as she marched up to him and Link frowned as his shortness enabled her to face him nose to nose. "Didn't I say I wanted to get out? To leave and see Kakariko village and Castle Town and everywhere else! You stole my idea, so there, I'm going."

That was something he wouldn't stand for. They had been doing a great job of avoiding each other after Link had come forward about his lack of intimate feelings for his female friend, and although he missed her at times it was all for the best. Now here she was, things packed in a leather sack slung over her shoulder, dressed in traveling clothes – unconventional ones at that – and prepared to raze the village in order to tag along. He didn't need this. His relationship with her was already precarious as it was. And if he should appear with her at the castle in front of Zelda… He didn't want a repeat of the Mell incident.

Goddesses, why did women always have to complicate things?

"Look, I admit, I'd rather leave on my own," said Link, to which Vrel let out an indignant 'hey!'. "If it was my choice I'd go by myself, but Roark insisted that I take Vrel."

More like demanded. There was no way Link would have been allowed to take one step out of the village if Vrel wasn't there. Which was ridiculous, he was an adult now! He knew he should have snuck out in the dark, guilt and the feeling of utter shame for disappointing Roark be damned... Maybe he was a little too attached to the grisly old man after all...

"Strength in numbers right?" inserted Adra. "One more person is an added benefit, don't you think?"

"You've never been outside the village before, you won't know how to take care of yourself," Link hissed. "Or what if something happens? What if we're attacked by monsters?"

At this she looked highly affronted and levelled a stern glare at him. She stepped up front and jabbed him hard in the stomach with her finger. "That's a moot point, seeing as _you've_ never been outside the village either, and seeing how _I _am more responsible and would probably be able to take care of myself better than you."

There were some nodding heads and mutters of agreement with Adra's statement. Link caught himself before he could reveal the falsities of both those points, thereby giving himself away. If he suddenly regaled them with tales of past lifetimes and experiences, he imagined they'd lock him away somewhere secure and isolated. Hylians were by nature a suspicious lot, and as much as they held onto the old legends, there was little conviction to their beliefs, opting to pick and choose which parts they'd put their faith in and practically disregarding anything they conceived as too deviant from the norm. Reincarnation was about the most deviant things could get.

"I at least can wield a sword. I have the means to protect myself," Link rebutted. He really didn't want Adra to come along.

However, Adra smirked as if already prepared with a counterargument. "I just knew you'd say that. But you forget…I'm the best shot in the village." She winked at him and then patted the bow that had been slung across her back and that Link had missed in favor of focusing on his current disdain for her.

She had the vote of the villagers as they cheered for her like mindless tektites. Faced with her sturdy resolve and at a loss as to how to defend his case after that, he spluttered and grappled for whatever came to mind, but all those issues amounted as too weak for the exchange.

Her grin of triumph proved too unbearable to witness. Grouchily, he turned on his heel and hunched his shoulders, starting away from the village. "Fine!"

Vrel patted his arm as he stomped past. "Come on, it won't be so bad, Link." But Link brushed him off, irritated.

He was aware that he was reacting childishly. One would think that after hundreds of years of life that he'd be the epitome of adult matureness, but as it were each time he relieved his youth he became his regular impulsive self – he blamed rampant hormones for that.

The crowd cheered and probably viewed this as Adra's first win against him as a couple. He scowled at the thought and leaned against the gatepost, glaring at the ground broodily as he waited for Adra's parents to finish up planting her with sloppy kisses and weepy goodbyes. If they were so upset at the parting they should have taken his side. But again, the only reason why they might have encouraged her leaving was so that she'd remain close to him. Did everyone view this as a romantic endeavor?

Not everyone it seemed as Leaf slowly approached him and offered a weak smile. Although Link had invited him, Leaf chose not to come along, deciding he'd prefer to remain in the village.

"Take care, Link. I have no clue what brought this on, but ever since your birthday you've seemed a bit...restless."

Link sighed and nodded absently. "There's just things I…need to do."

Leaf shook his head. "I don't understand it. But I hope you find whatever it is you're looking for. And…and take care of Adra, will you."

Did he…did he fancy Adra?

Leaf. Fancy. Adra?

And then he noticed. It burned in Leaf's eyes, which observed the hearty goodbyes as both Adra's and Vrel's families made a scene with crushing them in bear-tight hugs, and for Vrel, firm back slapping. And yet, Leaf's eyes lingered fixated on Adra as if they couldn't look away. Yearning and desire shone within, and Link imagined that right now Leaf possessed the same look that he would later mimic when he came into view of Zelda.

Zelda…

After an entire month and a half of preparing, he was finally going to go see her.

"Get off of me," Vrel swatted at his multitude of younger siblings, who'd made a point to climb all over him, sobbing and smearing copious amounts of tears and snot all over his tunic. "I'm not going off to war," he insisted. "It's just a short tour around Hyrule. Bird's got to leave the nest someday, but it will be back once it has had its fill of the world. No longer than a month or two I'd wager."

Link's brows furrowed. For Vrel maybe, but for him…returning had never been his intention.

His plan came to this: they'd arrive at Castle Town, he'd search out Zelda on his own – couldn't be too hard to find, seeing as how her house was the largest on the block, stuck out like a wolf in a cuccoo pen – meet with her, kiss her senseless, beg her forgiveness and then kiss her some more, and after a few more long hours of passionate snogging, marry her and set about continuing her legacy. Of course there were a number of possible unaccounted variables to look forward to, Ganondorf's return being the major flaw in his plan, but he'd deal with that hopefully before he turned into a major problem and could take over the castle and sear the land with his evil darkness, blotting out the light, causing drought and blight, and all those other predictable antagonistic requirements.

At long last – they must have been at it for an hour at least – Adra and Vrel managed to wrestle themselves out of the throng and join him at the gates.

Adra looked at him inquisitively and then swept her gaze over the mass of waving people. "Where's Roark? Isn't he here to see you off?"

Link shrugged nonchalantly. "You know Roark. Time away from work is wasted daylight. _Won't see me crying and blabbering over you boy for leaving. No point, you'll still be going anyway_s." Link mimicked Roark's hoary voice from last night. But at the time he'd been sure he'd seen the man's eyes tear up a bit. "We said our goodbyes last night."

"Anyways, he's right about one thing," said Vrel, shading his eyes and glancing at the sun. "Wasted daylight won't do us any good if we want to make some headway. Let's head out."

As they walked out of the village, to the boisterous hollers of the crowd of villagers – really, it was as if they were heroes setting off on some grand adventure – Vrel and Adra both participated in some sort of mid-step about turn, walking backwards to savor one last glimpse of their home and waving feverishly. And then the path swerved around a cluster of trees and the village was lost to sight, the cries dying down.

Link felt his heart rate quicken as they drew further and further away from the little village. Not once did he look back, not once did he feel any lingering attachment to the place that would entice him to return. He suffered only a minute fondness for Heron Falls and its people, but that was it. It was sort of nostalgic, heading out and abandoning his old hometown as he did in nearly every life. But the only attachment he felt was for the castle, and for the princess who lived within.

Adra and Vrel made small talk as they traveled, and Link was relieved that she had chosen to walk on the other side of Vrel and leave him be, even though she did shift her gaze to him on occasion. Link made certain he gave no inclination to wanting to join in the conversation. He was used to silence on his travels, but the murmur of their voices did not bother him as much as he expected. As long as they didn't disturb his silent musings he was fine.

The forest trail winded as they came to a small hillock, easing their path downward and curving around large rocks that jutted out from the side of the slippery slopes. Of course, Vrel ignored all that and cleaved right through, going straight down the hill.

Instinctively, Link fingered the hookshot from within one of his magic pouches. "Vrel, what are you doing?"

Vrel grunted. "Saving daylight. This way's quicker."

"Vrel, be careful!" called Adra, but her words went over Vrel's head as he waved her off dismissively.

"I'll be fine," Vrel replied just before his foot met a clump of loose stones and flew from beneath him. Vrel yelped and waved his arms around as he slipped down the incline, scrambling for some purchase. Adra squealed and rushed down the path, calling his name.

"Vrel, you great lummox!" Link called and darted from the path after his friend.

Even though it was not a dangerous drop, it could still leave Vrel damaged enough to delay their journey. But then again, this could be a good excuse to send both him and Adra back to the village. However, Roark might also find that a good excuse to keep him from leaving as well.

'A pity', he'd say, 'less than half a day spent before crawling back in defeat'. 'Hopeless youngsters,' he'd say.

Link skidded down a path of soil and was almost near enough to reach for Vrel. But before he could, there was a thunk and Vrel stopped short. An arrow dotted through his sleeve, piercing it to the upraised root of a tree. Link looked over his shoulder and saw Adra posed with her bow out, string still vibrating.

He sighed and held out a hand to help Vrel. "Your recklessness astounds me."

Vrel grasped the proffered hand and at the same time removed the arrow. "What are you on about? You're just as reckless as I am."

Link blinked, realizing that it had been the hero in him talking. Although the hero did indeed take risks, skill and necessity negated the recklessness of the action. Bracing against each other, Link and Vrel slowly returned to the path where Adra was waiting, looking as if ready to whack them over the head with her bow.

"Lucky I was here, huh?"

Link tensed and urged them to press on, adding another win to Adra.

As they passed the hillock, the ground levelled out and eventually the trees became more sparse. All at once they were looking over a vast green vista with no end in sight and only a few clusters of trees dotting the landscape.

Link felt a wave of yearning flow through him as he drank in the scenery. Hyrule field…

"Oh, it's beautiful," said Adra, stepping up next to him.

"It is," Link absently replied, before noticing their closeness and that Vrel was covertly inching back, giving them space.

Did they never learn? Furious, Link stomped down the road, not even bothering to make sure that Vrel and Adra had followed.

For all their beauty, Hyrule's fields were dangerous as they left them open and defenceless. If a mob of bokoblins came upon them they could become easily surrounded and picked off. Just as likely, they could be shot from afar by bulblins. To Roark it made sense that one not be caught alone while out in the fields like this, but Link had also desired solitude for another reason.

And as evening fell and they set up camp, he suppressed the itching need to get out his sword and practice, but as long as Vrel and Adra were here, he couldn't do that. Or maybe he could… Adra had witnessed his training, hadn't she? In the woods… What would it matter if Vrel saw as well? Ah, yes. Male ego, that's why. It was good and all, that Link could hold his own and barely manage to defeat Vrel in a spar, but to dish out moves that were clearly beyond either of their expertise would dig deeply at him. He'd seen it before, jealousy or just as awful, dependency. Vrel could either feel so inadequate compared to Link that he'd broil with envy or he could become dependent on Link to get them out of all their scuffles.

Not to inflate his ego, but Link considered his progress quite good. His fighting skills much more advanced compared to how it had been on his birthday. It also helped that he was already learned in the techniques and maneuvers, he'd just had to reacquaint his body with them.

Women, men, other people in general, they were all so complicated…and annoying. One of the benefits about being king was that the only one who could ever order him around had been the queen, as her royal blood made her the supreme ruler. Everyone else had jumped at his demands, and if and when he wanted to be alone, they'd all scram to give him his blessed silence. Cruel, Zelda often called him. Unlike him, she wasn't in the habit of abusing power, and only ever under the rarest of circumstances had it come to that.

Like that one time Link had crept up on her in her study and a courier had knocked tepidly on the door while Link had been in the midst of nibbling down her neck. He smiled at the memory. She'd been so flustered, bent over the desk, that she'd snapped at the poor man, who had scurried away as if a pack of wolfos were gnawing at his heels. She'd been so angry afterwards, making Link swear to never do that again and to keep all acts of intimacy within the bedroom. He hadn't been happy with that, but had consigned to her demand. That had been the first and only time they'd been so adventurous sexually. And of course, being the bleeding heart that she was, Zelda had later located the courier and apologized, explaining that she'd been suffering from a minor headache at the time. As one can imagine, Link had later set to rectify that. A _minor_ headache? No, in that sense of the word he was a _major_ headache.

He gazed listlessly at the crackling fire, overcome with memories and want and many indecent thoughts… He sighed.

Fireflies dappled the air, like dancing fairies. Impulsively, he searched his pouches for his violin, claimed by the immense urge to play a depressing requiem, before snapping to realization and retracting his hand. He'd told Vrel that he'd made the pouches, and baldric himself, and seeing as how he bore witness to him going so far as to temper his own sword, Vrel had easily accepted this, not registering the superior fabric and sowing skill that had gone into their creation. And there was no way he could take credit for their magic.

Mayhaps he'd purchase an ocarina. He didn't know why, but music had always been seared in his veins, perhaps because a good number of melodies held magic to them.

Vrel was digging through his bag, and let out an 'aha' as he unearthed a package of salted meat. Adra rifled through her pack as well.

Link got up. "Put that away."

Vrel looked at him perplexed and a mite bothered. "Why? We haven't eaten since lunch. It's late and I'm hungry."

Link shrugged. "I feel like having something fresh. While we're out here we might as well see if we can catch us some game."

The thought of fresh meat quelled Vrel's protest, and he placed his meal back in his bag. "Fine, go ahead, mister hunter. And when you return a failure, then we'll eat. Don't take too long now."

Reluctantly, Adra as well replaced her food and shimmied closer to the fire.

Link left them and set out to find their dinner. This also gave him a chance to scour the perimeter. As he drew away from the fire he melded into the faint twilight, and although he could see the fire of their camp clearly from where he was, they'd be hard pressed to distinguish his figure from the oncoming darkness.

Wandering around, he searched the ground for any tracks of prey. At one point in his existence, he'd been able to turn into a wolf, and although he didn't possess any of the heightened senses he'd had as a beast, he could still just as easily spot the minor disruptions in the ground and attribute them to either rabbit, keaton, wolfos, bear or some other beast. Hunting had become easy for him.

Soon he caught signs that a young buck had been around, but the tracks were old, and he didn't see any appeal in lugging around a dead carcass that they wouldn't be able to finish off.

Something small would do. He searched the ground for rabbit holes, or traces of a ferret or stoat. However as he looked, he noticed something peculiar. He frowned as he spotted a familiar set of imprints, and bent down to better scrutinize them. Warily he stood and followed them with a growing sense of unease until he came upon a ridge, confirming what his fears. It was a bokoblin camp. Three – no – four of them at least. And it was empty.

Swiftly he turned back towards his camp, and sure enough he spotted the four dark figures racing along, attracted by the light of the fire. He swore and readied his sword, pulling out a few throwing knives in his other hand, and then hurried to catch up.

"Vrel! Adra! Behind you!" he called out, his cry simultaneously attracting the attention of his friends as well as the bokoblins.

The bokoblins looked back but they couldn't see as well as Hylians could in the darkness. To them Link was awash in shadow. Instead they focused on their intended prey and attacked.

Vrel jumped up at Link's outcry and looked around in surprise. His eyes widened as they encountered the sharp beady ones of a bokoblin, leering up at him as it raised its club. Hastily, Vrel drew his sword and brought it up, catching the club on its downward swing. Adra, having even less time than Vrel to prepare herself, had taken up her pack and swung it, keeping another bokoblin at bay.

Link growled. He'd have to educate them about the prudency of keeping their weapons within hands reach at all times. He smiled. Farore! He was starting to think like the general he had once been, teaching new warriors how to fight and survive.

All their previous lessons with the swordsmaster Vallen, all Vrel's fighting talents seemed to have went to pot in the face of real peril. He attacked wildly with his sword, utilizing none of the techniques and strategies that had been taught to him. Opposite him, Adra struggled to fight off two snarling bokoblins.

As the blade of Vrel's sword impacted against one of the bokoblin's clubs Vrel lost his footing and tripped backwards. As if sensing his victory the bokoblin snarled and pulled back his weapon to bash Vrel's head in.

Link arrived right on time. Quickly he diverted the club's path with his sword, then grabbed and twisted the bokoblin's wrist. The bokoblin shrieked and dropped its club. In another swift movement, Link thrust his sword clean through the beast's chest, effectively rendering the bokoblin lifeless. Pivoting, he quickly confronted the next bokoblin, taking it out before moving on to the one's attacking Adra, who was, to his astonishment, holding her own quite well.

Dispatching them easily, he then surveyed the camp, making sure no more had stayed behind to creep up on them but it seemed they were safe for now.

Wrapping his sword back up, he turned to his companions. "Are you alright?"

Vrel heaved to his feet and staggered, looking worse for wear. "Us alright? Are _you_ alright? Where in Hyrule did you learn to fight like that?" he asked, astonished. "You haven't been sneaking out in secret and attacking innocent monsters, have you? You weren't even panicking." Vrel went over to cautiously nudge one of the dead bodies, wrinkling his nose. "I suggest a relocation is in order."

Link blinked. And it seemed that Vrel was going to go with dependency. He just hoped it didn't go to the larger boy's head. "Agreed. Let's gather up our stuff and go." He quickly latched on to that course of action, wanting to stay clear of the subject of his sword skills.

Adra was gathering up her bedroll when he looked over to her and they traded a surreptitious glance. They both knew how close to the mark Vrel was with his assumption.

As they were breaking camp, Adra sidled up to him, glancing at him with wide green eyes. "Thank you…you know…for saving us. I guess all that late night training paid off, huh."

Link sighed and looked at her. "Yeah, I guess so. And you, you didn't even use your bow. Best shot, eh? Well, we didn't see any of that tonight did we?" he rebutted, playfully, happy to immerse himself back into their easygoing friendship.

She drew up sharply. "I can do just as well with or without my bow!"

Link laughed as she stormed away then moved to stand beside Vrel, giving the fallen monster corpses a wide berth.

They walked for another half hour before they were forced to stop as full darkness descended and they couldn't see more than a foot in front of them. The moon was thinning and so offered very little light. They settled down close to one another and deemed the atmosphere warm enough that they didn't need a fire. This time they arranged for a watch, Link would stay up then wake Adra for her turn and lastly Vrel.

Link stared up into the night sky, eyes automatically drawn to each constellation and silently naming them. If there was one thing that stayed constant throughout his lifetimes it was the stars. Everything else changed, even he and Zelda. Idly, he wondered how old she was in this era. The Goddesses had been gracious to them in that they were never more than at most four years apart in age, yet he always thought it best when they were born within the same year as one another.

He sighed and stared out at the field in the direction he knew Hyrule Castle to be in.

Almost there. Soon he'd get to see her again, and this time he was not letting her go.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks to those of you who reviewed: Wandom Wockets, lolol, princessanime29, Generala, Death Waltz, Guest, Duductionist, Dellange, ObscurityProject, Juno and Bloodspire!**

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><p><span><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

It shouldn't have affected him so much, he shouldn't have felt this piercing ache in his heart, nor the contrasting feeling of warmth that radiated throughout his being like a welcoming beacon. But as they crested the last rise and were able to look over the grandeur that was Castle Town, he couldn't help but feel both those and more.

He heard Adra breathe in an awed gasp as she and Vrel admired the entirety of the colossal structure, walls and town houses alike. But unlike them, Link only had eyes for the castle itself where lay his personal destination. It was only a few miles more, probably an hour of walking. If he'd had a horse he could make that in possibly ten minutes. What was another hour though to the years he'd had of waiting? The lifetime he had to endure alone and the seventeen years of ignorance would all be set aside the moment he came in contact with Zelda, forgotten and nonexistent next to the life he would share with her. Reuniting with her would restore the life within him, until then he may as well be dead inside.

As they walked Vrel and Adra talked enthusiastically about the many things they've heard from travellers and the few fellow villagers who'd actually been to the capital, tales that had been told and retold until they were greatly over exaggerated. Adra listened raptly as Vrel went on to describe the sorts of potions sold at the brewery. Link listened idly, mentally providing verification for the rumors. No, there was no such thing as a potion that heated one's skin to a boil, someone would surely die for that, and no, healing potions did not remedy any genetic disfigurements, it may heal the body in a physical aspect, but it did not alter the formation. And… wait…what? That he'd rescind. He decided not to make judgments on whether or not there was indeed an agent that provided men with an increased libido.

Why was Vrel talking about these things? And with Adra – who had fallen suddenly quiet, face adopting a similar hue to that of a strawberry.

"Thoughts to yourself, please," he spoke with an edge of warning, looking to save Adra from the ignoble turn of the conversation.

Vrel chuckled. "It was just something that I heard at the tavern. You should listen to what some of those people have to say. Most of it is useless drivel, but sometimes they can be really informative."

Vrel's mother was Lilly, the woman who owned the apothecary. At first glance, upon observing his muscular physique, one would assume Vrel was a woodcutter or mill worker, but they'd be surprised how he leeched up any and all information pertaining to remedies and medicines, chemistry in general. He'd memorized his mother's book on plants and poisons, and was able to identify them on sight merely by looking at their individual properties. Of course he'd have latched on to any conversation that mentioned potions, and that it appealed to his teenage interests further encouraged him to ingrain every word to memory.

"What were you doing at the tavern?" asked Adra sternly, as her embarrassment ebbed. "You weren't drinking were you?"

Vrel snorted at this. "I'm of age, aren't I? You don't call out your dad for going in for a pint or two at the end of a tiring day."

"That is despite the point, it's really not good if you make a habit out of it. And starting young only makes you addicted faster," she argued in harsh reprimand.

Vrel's face scrunched in annoyance. Men never did like it when a woman went off nagging at them.

"Wasted rupees," said Link, and Vrel snapped to him incredulously. Link just shrugged.

"Exactly!" exclaimed Adra.

"And entirely worth it," Link added, tossing them both a wry grin.

He'd had a taste for alcohol in his previous lives, but back then it had been more refined, as was expected from the sovereign. Hard ale was something of a luxury that he indulged in whenever he had the chance, and Zelda had always disapproved of that little delight. That did not mean he'd gorge on it though, he'd been far too sensible for that. Something it appeared he had lost, now that he thought about it. He had merely to envision his seventeenth birthday party.

Vrel laughed, while Adra was definitely not amused. She quickened her pace, a show of anger and that she meant to give them the silent treatment. She wasn't used to being teamed up against and no doubt that bothered her.

As they drifted back to lighter topics Adra slowly rejoined them, her mood lifted as they neared Castle Town. All at once they were beneath the arch that stood guard over one end of the bridge. Adra had been practically skipping along until this point, but with the end so close at hand she couldn't resist any longer. She burst into a spontaneous run, trailing a gleeful laugh.

"Last one to the bridge is a mad cuccoo!"

Vrel and Link exchanged glances then shot off as if they fully believed in that statement.

They arrived the last few meters to the town, their steps clacking as they sprinted over the bridge. A pair of massive oak doors rose before them. One of the doors was partway open and they dashed on through, Link briefly nodding at the soldiers posted on either side.

They slowed down, heaving and giddily trying to catch their breaths. They shared lively smiles then straightened up to be met with the bustle of Castle Town.

Noises and scents bombarded him on all sides. The smell of spices and pipe smoke, wood and cold stone, all in mixture. The roads were virtually crammed with people rushing about. Children ran around wildly. One who'd come too close to the various carriages ambling down the streets was yanked back and scolded by her parents. Vendors called out, lined along both sides of the main roads, advertising their wares. Vrel's interest was instantly peeked, and Adra could be caught reluctantly eyeing the booths as well, a glimmer of desire in her eyes.

Link ignored them for the most part. He was used to the types of coercions used by salesmen desiring people to buy things that they didn't need or use. Rather, he was anxious to get to the castle. But Vrel had other thoughts. Already he'd darted off to admire an impressive looking knife display.

The vendor smiled invitingly as Vrel ogled his stand, and at once swooped down on him. "See anything you like? All of them are a rather impressive make, genuine Gerudo crafted."

Link and Adra went over and peered, irritated and inquisitively at the items, respectively. Link crossed his arms and watched unimpressed.

"How about those!" Vrel pointed rabidly to a vibrant pair of fancy knives, shiny and gold in color with miniscule red jewels embedded in the handles.

"Ah, these," exclaimed the vendor, picking one up and holding it reverently. "Some of our best throwing knives. See the curves, it allows them to zoom through the air faster. They're gold plated, inset with rubies. A rare and valuable item for experienced knife throwers. And at only eighty rupees!"

Vrel scrunched his face, seeming to be debating with himself. His expression spoke of how much he longed for the knives but eighty rupees was a hefty sum to lose all in one go.

The vendor saw his hesitance and acted on it. "The rubies are also said to possess magical aspects, which aid the wielder."

At that Vrel became fixated, but then his shoulders slumped dejectedly. "It would be pointless then. I can't use magic."

"Whether or not you possess the gift is irrelevant. Anyone can make use of magical items."

Link could see his resolve slowly crumpling. The vendor just needed one last push before he finally had him.

_Oh, for Din's sake!_

Link slammed his hand down on the table, rattling the display and snapping Vrel out of his daze.

The vendor startled, then narrowed his eyes at him in displeasure. "Excuse me, sir, but these are valuable merchandise. If any of my knives become damaged you'd be hard pressed to reimburse me."

"You must be joking," said Link, annoyed. It bothered him to see Vrel so easily led by the nose by this man.

The vendor jerked back, then composed himself to take on a look of affront. "I beg your pardon?"

"If these really are as valuable as you say then why are they here out in the open rather than stored in a vault? People don't sell gold and jewels on the streets, they have special shops for that."

As his voice rose, he attracted the attention of a few people who were shopping nearby. They eyed the display curiously.

Adra looked around and hissed at him through her teeth. "Link, don't cause a scene."

But Link wasn't done yet. "The curve of the blade does not increase the speed of the throw, and anyone who has any notable competency with knives would not be so dense as to choose a gaudy set over one that is practical. Look at the metal, it's flimsy, and the jewels are dull and so obviously fake, I'm repulsed."

Vrel, and the increasing amount of onlookers, leaned forward to look, noting under closer scrutiny what Link had at first glance. If anything Vrel should take him seriously. He'd worked with metal for seven years now. He knew what he was talking about.

"They wouldn't be able to hold a drop of magic. Also, the Gerudo haven't been around for hundreds of years, and these are too new to be old artifacts. Do you know what I call this," he said bending close as the vendor looked at him with horrified eyes, bottom lip trembling as sweat beaded on his forehead. "Scamming!"

Many of the onlookers gasped, the others quickly raised a ruckus and took up Link's cry.

"Why that lying cheat! Trying to sell his trinkets with false claims," one man spoke up, raising a fist.

"He's been swindling us all along!"

More cries rose up as the people converged around his stand, shouting furiously.

The vendor frantically waved his hands. "No! No! I-"

"Oi! What's going on here!"

A group of soldiers approached and Link took that as his cue to discreetly slip away. Tugging Adra and Vrel behind him, he blended into the suddenly raucous crowd and darted down street after street, finally slowing to a walk as they approached an alley, their panting forms attracting curious stares. Link braced a hand against the wall to steady himself, emitting low chuckles of amusement.

"Wow," said Vrel, punting Link on the shoulder. "Thanks man. You saved me eighty rupees back there. I never would have thought of all that."

"Well," said Link, patting down his hair. "You've always been all brawn and no brains."

Vrel punched him harder, causing Link to stagger a bit. "Thanks for that."

Adra kneaded her brow. "You two. Not even fifteen minutes and already you cause a scene. And didn't I tell you not to, Link?"

That girl, always the killjoy. What was wrong with being the instigator of a bit of trouble now and then? He'd call it a girl thing, but her friend Marle was more rambunctious than her, ready and willing to be the originator of mass havoc in the village. Riling people up was a great source of amusement. The added justice against the vendor only sweetened the deal.

"Well, at least the man's been ousted," said Vrel. "Who knows how many people he's already swindled."

"Let's just find an inn," she pressed, marching off. "I'd like to make sure we pay for a room for a couple of nights before you decide to waste all of your rupees. We should think about finding temporary jobs too while we're staying here. Might not be a bad idea to build up a little. We still have other places to visit."

Vrel smiled sheepishly and Link shook his head before moving to follow her. These avenues and roads were considerably narrower than the main road, far less busy and easier to become lost in. They winded in maze-like fashion and led off into many back alleys.

"I though I saw an inn close to the gate we entered from. Maybe we could stay there?" Adra pondered out loud.

"Not good," said Link. "That inn had a stable, plus it was the closest to the entrance and off the main road. The price for that would be too high for us. We should look for a place further in the city."

"You're awfully knowledgeable all of a sudden," said Vrel skeptically. "How do you know all of these things?"

Link hesitated, but before he could answer Adra piped up for him. "Unlike you, mister all brawn, Link actually reads. Also he probably did what I did and asked around and planned ahead before deciding to leave Heron Falls. That's called efficacy. I wouldn't be surprised if he somehow has a map of Castle Town." She looked at him over her shoulder, inquisitively. "_Do_ you have a map?"

"Afraid not," he admitted, although now that he thought of it, he should have had the foresight to at least buy an updated depiction of Hyrule. As much as he knew the land, it did not remain constant over time. A map of Castle Town would have been nice too, as well as the blueprints for the castle, he added. Procuring the later, though, he knew would be impossible.

"I'm sure we can find someone that sells maps somewhere," he said.

Adra nodded. "Yes, but until then…" she suddenly veered away and approached an old man walking at an achingly slow pace down the street. She spoke with him for a few moments with much gesturing and loud elaboration then hurried back, a smile spread across her face. "Follow me."

Link thought they must have been deep in the center of the southeastern quarter as they ventured down a couple more streets and alleys. Adra gave a happy cry and then jogged ahead when they sighted a tall building nestled between a pair of cozy houses. The swinging sign above the door labeled it as 'The Keaton's Den'. It was an inn, and exactly the sort they needed, not too high-classed or popular, and not one of the cheap shanties they'd find in the shady parts of town.

They entered to find a virtually empty pub. Only a few patrons sat at the tables, dining on their noon meal. A large man, with a typically wide girth for this sort of employment, stood behind the counter, wiping it clean with a rag in a motion that seemed more habitual than of necessity.

"G'day to you, sir, sir, an' miss. Name's Odol. What can I be getting you?" Odol said, donning a bright cheery smile.

"Umm," Vrel started, before looking to Link and Adra. "Two? Yeah, can we get two rooms?"

"Sure, that'll be ten rupees a night then for each room. How long'll you be staying? And d'you want meals with that?"

"Does it cost extra," asked Adra, face scrunching and Link imagined she was mentally tallying up the price.

Odol shrugged. "Oh, jus' five more rupees per day. I make it a goal to keep my rates affordable. Sounds good, doesn't it?"

Adra smiled and stepped up to the counter, pulling a rupee bag from her sack. "That's perfectly acceptable. Thank you." Then she dumped out a surprising amount of blue and red rupees, causing both Vrel's and Link's eyes to bulge.

"Where'd you get all that?" exclaimed Vrel, voice filled with awe and slight accusation.

"I told you, I've been planning this for a while," she said boastfully, brimming with pride. "I saved up every rupee I made. This isn't all I have either, I have more in-"

"Look, missy," Odol hissed quietly, cutting her off. He hunched down to her level, eyes shifting to the only two other patrons in the house. "I don't mean to be rude, but it ain't wise to show off any amount of wealth in public places. I run an honorable business and don't accept thieving an' such, but sometimes it can't be helped. So if you'd please, keep that to yourself."

Adra understood right away that she'd made a target of herself to anyone that was looking, which Link hastily assured, there was no one. The two patrons were busy immersed in their own conversation. She flushed bright red and hurriedly stashed the bag away once she'd handed out the appropriate sum for their stay. Link opposed her when he noted that she'd paid for his and Vrel's share as well.

"I have my own rupees, I will not be depending on you," he snapped.

But Adra brushed him aside. "I don't care if you have enough, I have more, a lot more. You can pay me back by buying me a gift or something."

But a gift could give the wrong impression, and Link wasn't so willing to do that. "Adra…" he pressed, frustrated.

"No, Link. You don't see Vrel complaining do you? Just accept my generosity for once, I like doing things for you guys every so often," she said, just as ardently.

Odol looked from one to the other, but he didn't seem to care much now that he'd been paid. The two men occupying the tavern had left, one muttering on the way out about rowdy youths.

"Fine! Fine, you win, you pay, whatever!" Link exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air.

Adra looked all too satisfied as she grabbed his and Vrel's arms, entwining them with hers. "That wasn't so bad now, was it? Now, let's go find the town square! That's always where all the excitement is."

They dropped off their packs and most of their supplies in their rooms. Link shared with Vrel, somewhat daunting considering his budding plans, but if he'd opposed the arrangement it would have screamed suspicious. Either that or stuck up, self-conscious, impractical and strange. His belt pouches stayed fastened around his waist, and he kept his baldric and sword on him.

The people had the right to be armed, to be able to defend themselves should the need arise. It wasn't uncommon to see armed men and women, the lay people, wandering the town with weapons on full display. The most his equipped form would elicit as a reaction may be a raised eyebrow or a mocking jeer. He'd received all sorts of comments in his previous lives. Outwardly he looked too short and boyish to be taken seriously. Only the experienced warriors and soldiers with long years of fighting under their belts would be able to detect his fighter's gait, the way he moved and the way he comfortably carried his weapon around.

The good thing about the town square was that all the main roads connected to it at the end, and all the main roads could be found by traveling straight in one direction until you came across them. Another positive fact about the square, in Link's opinion at least, was that it lay directly in the shadow of Hyrule Castle itself.

All three of them stopped to admire the formidable edifice, towering over them with the majesty it was meant to portray.

Link scrutinized it solemnly. In his mind's eye he saw not the pure white-stone building before him, but a darker one, black and grimy. Turrets and towers splitting down the middle, toppling over like felled trees, floors crumbling beneath his feet, the numerous magnificent chandeliers in the great hall smashing to the floor, rugs and tapestries wreathed in flame, windows shattering, cloaked in the stench of death.

He blinked to clear his vision. Many years had passed between that time and now, and the castle had been reconstructed. He'd seen it hours ago from afar, and now with his close up view he was able to distinguish all the changes in the modelling. It hurt to look at it, so pristine and grand, when within the next little while it could be overshadowed by darkness as evil corrupted it.

But he wouldn't let that happen. Not this time.

"Oh, look!" said Adra, bouncing in place and jabbing a finger at a space on the other side of the bubbling fountain that was the square's centrepiece.

An outdoor event was taking place, a group of Hylians and Gorons were gathered and watching amidst occasional cheers and applause. The space had been barred with fenced ropes, splitting off a long stretch of the street with a tall board at the end and swinging targets at various distances away.

An archery game. How typical of Adra to be so attracted to that. Zelda had always been good at archery, better than him even. She possessed the hawkish eyes and steady hands required for the sport. Her speed and precision was just as good on the ground aiming at a fixed target as on horseback galloping at full speed and shooting a bird from the sky. Hunting expeditions with her had always been a source of thrill.

Before either he or Vrel knew it, Adra had shot off without a leave of warning. He could just make out her white-blonde head bobbing among the crowd before distance and persons taller than her concealed her from view.

"That girl," muttered Vrel. "We'll be running everywhere after her, I swear."

Adra had somehow pushed her way to the very front where an announcer, the owner of the game, stood on a stool to give him height above all the heads. A man, broad and muscular, stood on the opposite end of the board, arm pulled back and straining as he sighted along his arrow at the moving targets ahead.

Somehow both Link and Vrel had managed to weave their way to the front, standing beside her.

"You shouldn't run off like that," said Link, but Adra ignored him, enraptured by the archery performance before her.

The man released the string and the arrow flew, just narrowly managing to strike a target on the outer ring.

The masses cheered, and Adra cheered with them, a great smile on her face. "Oh, I wish I'd brought my bow! I so want to try this!"

A man from the crowd turned to her. "That you can, missy. Gav has some spare ones for people who don't own a bow. You just have to wait in line like the rest of them."

Adra looked to the man, her eyes sparkling, and then to the short cue. It appeared more people would rather watch than participate, but that was fine with her because it meant she would be closer to the front of the line.

"Wait, Adra," said Link reaching out a hand to catch her arm right as she darted away. He sighed. When it came to this stuff she could be flighty at times. A meaty hand fell on his shoulder and squeezed.

"Oh, come on, Link. Let her have her fun. We'll buy her a couple of rounds and there, all paid back for the rooms at the inn," said Vrel.

It was better than getting her an actual gift he supposed. Vrel and Link then studiously watched as the large man shot his last round.

"AAAAND, that's eight targets out of fifteen! The record of the day, but not enough to win the special first prize," the owner called out, waving to quieten the crowd. "I'm sorry, but you'll have to settle with the third place prize. Twenty rupees are all yours!"

The man smiled and took his winnings, holding up the red rupee to a round of raucous cheers. He'd done the best so far that day, so Link supposed that was something to be proud of. He had not gained or lost anything, as each round cost twenty rupees. Link looked over at the prize table and saw that the second place prize was a grand fifty rupees and a new quiver, and first place was a curious little trinket, a gold-banded ring with a stunning blue gem. He whistled lowly. Now that would fetch a decent price, assuming it was authentic.

Adra was sure to win it, or at least take the second prize, which would be equally beneficial.

He watched as the next man up took the bow and readied an arrow.

"What's all this for?" said a gruff voice behind him, addressing his neighbor.

Link surreptitiously peered over his shoulder to see two Hylian guards decked out in their soldier gear conversing with each other while observing the event.

The second guard snorted and lifted his visor. "It's a biweekly event that Mr. Gav planned out. Supposed to help sales. Every two weeks he sets up his game outside and has some special prize for whoever's first to hit all the targets in hard mode. That's when the the targets move around, makes it more difficult."

"I get that, what I mean is why did you drag me here?" snapped the first guard with undisguised impatience.

The second guard shrugged. "Lukas decided he wanted to try out. We're here as support."

"What can Lukas do? He's more likely to misfire all his arrows and hit the citizens."

"Then we should make sure that doesn't happen shouldn't we. Can't have anyone getting hurt, especially with the gala coming up. Would cause some upset. Can't have the dignitaries witnessing that."

Link turned his attention back to the game as the guards kept up their quiet conversation. Two other men had stepped up, and one woman. None so far had come as close as that first man had, although one of the men did win in easy mode, but his prize was of lesser quality. The friend the guards had been talking about took his turn and failed miserably at hard mode, just as the guards had predicted. They offered him encouraging back-slaps and a 'better luck next time,' from one guard, and 'best you learn how to actually shoot properly,' from the other.

As the line dwindled, Adra came up to stage. Beside him, Vrel was quivering in anticipation, practically biting his finger nails down to their nubs. Link, though, had confidence in her.

"Hard mode," said Adra, calmly, brow furrowing with determination.

"All righty, miss," said Gav, and he tugged on a switch, which instantly set the targets into motion.

Adra drew her borrowed bow and plucked out an arrow from the pile on the table, placing the feathered end on the string and aligning it with the first target. With a pang it released, and a startled gasp was emitted from the crowd as it hit dead center. She drew the next arrow and quickly brought that to bear. It flew and ripped through a second target further away. The next three she took in quick succession, never missing her mark. The crowd was going wild as she hit the ninth, surpassing the previous lead's record, and she still had more to go.

The owner cried out in shock. "My word! A new record, and six targets left! Will she make it?!" he bubbled with just as much eagerness as the crowd.

Adra nailed the next three, but the one after that came close as it just barely pierced the outer ridge. The last two targets were a lengthy distance away, and swung back and forth at a much faster rate. Link saw the sweat bead on Adra's brow as she concentrated, not once blinking.

Everyone seemed to hold their breath as she went in for the last two. She waited for the right moment and released, and missed! Her arrow thunked right into the boarded background. In panic she pulled a hasty last shot and that one missed too, ruining her attempt for first place.

The crowd moaned dejectedly.

Gav seemed just as disappointed. "Ah, nearly hit those ones there. Afraid you'll have to settle for second prize! Give a hand to our new record setter!"

The applause that met her caused her face to redden and she looked away timidly as she accepted her new quiver and the fifty rupees. Everyone reached in to offer her congratulations, and even though she absorbed all the attention with relish, there was disappointment in her eyes as she looked at the glistening ring on the table.

Link gauged her dismayed countenance and battled with himself. Should _he_ step up and claim the prize? It was obvious that she greatly desired it, but then such an action would surely fill her head with the wrong ideas, and the last thing Link wanted to do was to lead her on. But it was just a gift. Friends gave each other presents and did kind things for each other, didn't they? Perhaps, he would. Just this once.

But just as he was about to head to the now vacant line, a strange woman offered Gav her twenty rupees to play the game. The cloak she wore was black with grass green designs along the hem, beneath which her attire was concealed from view. She had her hood down and a tumultuous amount of vivid red locks tumbled around her shoulders in loose ringlets. She wore a small amount of makeup, both her eyes were lined with black and her eyelids had a dusting of purple powder. Her lips had been painted rouge, enhancing them as she looked over at Gav with a shimmering full smile.

"Hard mode, please," she said. Her voice carried a deep feminine resonance and already she had many in the audience transfixed.

Gav stuttered then found his voice and smiled lopsidedly. "Yes ma'am!" He pushed a button, resetting the targets, and then pulled the lever.

The redheaded woman took a stance. Feet braced shoulder width apart, she angled herself sideways and looked over her shoulder, chin brushing the cloth of her cloak as she brought the bow up.

It was like rapid fire. First one arrow was dispatched, then another and another, her hand moved toward them quicker than the eye could detect and she didn't waste a moment. As soon as they touched the string they were off, planting themselves deeply into the targets. Within seconds it was all over, and she turned to be met with a stunned audience.

A beat of silence.

The guards from all the way over at the gatehouse must have heard the wild cheering that soon came after. So loud it was that Link had to press his palms to his ears to muffle the sound until it quieted down. Once it did, he lifted his head, watching as with everyone else as the owner, Gav, eagerly gifted her with the ring. Link cast a glance at Adra, who seemed stoned beside him, her face a mask of sealed emotion. He couldn't tell what she was feeling, but cheerful glee was definitely not there.

The woman lifted the ring, peering at it closely, then dropped her hand and closed her fist. She faced them, brown eyes flashing in their direction, pinning Link with a cheeky gaze. No, not Link, she was looking at Adra.

"Small town girl, eh? Best in your village, I assume?" she said suavely and with a sultry tone. Some of the crowd drifted off at this point now that the entertainment was over, but a large portion stayed.

Adra fisted her hands, a hard glint entering her eyes. "Yes, I am."

The woman's smile grew as she tossed the ring high and caught it. "Not bad for your first time out in the real world, hon. But remember, standards here are high. Back home you might have only had to contend with a few good shots to keep ahead. Here you don't only have to keep ahead, you have to be the best, or at least close to it. Better luck next time, hon."

At those departing words, Adra surprised Link by boldly stepping forward. "Wait, what's your name?"

The woman's lips curled even further, chin ducking minutely as her eyes darkened. "Why, I'm honored. My name is Vivienne Dalousi. And what do I have the pleasure of addressing you as?"

"Adra Miller," she responded, her hard tone replaced by a slightly hopeful one. "And these are my friends. Link and Vrel."

Link almost ducked when she indicated him, but stood firm. He did not like the look of the woman before him. Vrel simply gaped then shifted bashfully as Vivienne's eyes flitted over him, gazing under long eyelashes. Link swore Vrel looked as if the sun had burned him.

Vivienne sauntered forward, standing directly before Adra and looking down at her, a whole foot taller.

"Hmmm, what stunning specimens. Best to keep them on a short leash, if you get what I'm saying, hon," she winked, causing Vrel to go stone still, many of the onlookers to laugh, and Adra to stutter.

Link, though, kept firm control over himself. Vivienne's cloak wasn't so tight that it outlined each feminine curve, but it was evident from her shape that she was well endowed in the best of places. She was very beautiful, but much too old for them. Link estimated her age range within the late twenties to early thirties. It was apparent by her mannerism that she was a seasoned seductress.

However, the only woman who could tempt him, who he would allow to tempt him, was Zelda. No one else… not anymore.

"Could you teach me?" asked Adra, and Link thought that must have been the most incredulous, the most impulsive thing she'd ever done. What was she thinking, asking a complete stranger that?

She must have been trying to soften the blow for such a humiliating upstaging. Adra's pride could only take so much, and by appearing humble and with the desire to learn she could become the studious pupil and Vivienne her awe-inspiring teacher, rather than Adra remaining the envious competitor.

Vrel released a shaky laugh. "Yeah, Adra, you need all the help you can get," he said, his gaze constantly deviating to Vivienne.

_Love struck_, thought Link, angrily._ Don't be a fool, Vrel._

Vivienne let out a soft peel of laughter, shaking her head. "Oh, no no no, I don't do that, I would never teach another. Forget about it, go back to your small town or learn from somebody else," she said, wiping away a tear of amusement. "Or do what many do. You know the saying, hon? Practice makes perfect. Become a bit lax, have you."

Adra did admirably to control the sudden rage Link saw building up within her. Still it would be best if they left before she eventually did snap. He grabbed her arm, and grabbed that oaf Vrel's too.

"Come on, there's still more to see. You've had your fun, Adra, now it's mine and Vrel's turn," Link insisted in an urgent tone.

"Ah, before you leave and explore all the wonders of big town life," said Vivienne, smiling brightly and stimulating many of the surrounding men's hearts. "I've taken quite a liking to you, _young_ Adra." She deliberately emphasized the word young, and Adra bristled. She winked and flicked her thumb. Something glittery arched in the air and Adra caught it on its descent. "A small gift. I've no need of it, so I leave it to you, hon. Enjoy."

With that she stepped away and was momentarily forgotten as everyone hovered around to see what it could be. Link though, wasn't surprised to see the same blue studded ring that had been the reward for first place. The crowd around them gasped and marvelled.

"Oh, what a generous Lady," said one woman, ogling.

"Must be a noblewoman. She said she doesn't need it. Probably has lots more."

"You should be grateful to receive such a gift. It is lovely isn't it?" another woman gawked.

They all fawned over the ring. The men, having lost interest, looked around eagerly for the mysterious woman. But since they searched only at ground level, none saw her. As he looked up, Link's practiced eyes spotted her standing on the shingled roof of one of the townhouses. She flashed a sultry smile and spun in place, arms raised and crossed with her wrists flung out. She vanished in a swirl of light ribbons.

No one noticed and no one saw but him, and that act only furthered his unease. A sorceress!

"Where did Vivienne go?" asked Vrel, glancing around, and Adra openly gaped at him.

"Vivienne?" she snarled. "Since when we're you all close and cozy with her?"

Vrel stammered, pulling nervously at his hem. "That – umm… hey, Link, didn't you say it was our turn to do something fun?" said Vrel, impatiently pushing him in the direction of another stand.

"That woman!" hissed Adra, as the crowd dispersed. "How dare she? Where does she get the gall to – to humiliate me like that!?"

"Come on, Adra. She wasn't so bad," said Vrel, trying to placate her. "And look, she gave you the ring."

"Pompous, arrogant, that uppity little-"

"Hey look! The sweet shop is handing out free samples!" a young boy called out, pulling his mother along.

Link took hold of the distraction and dragged Adra and Vrel with him. "Let's go get ourselves some appetizers, shall we?" He wasn't sure if he was thrilled or not to see Adra harrumph and jab the ring on her left middle finger, but decided Vivienne wouldn't have had the time to enchant it for however long she'd been in contact with it. It was probably fine.

Adra soon simmered enough to enjoy herself, and they spent the rest of the day running from one booth to the other.

* * *

><p>The castle cast its dark shadow over him as he viewed it with a sense of morbid fascination. For the past two nights he'd been staking out the castle in the dark, entering stealthily with the use of his hookshot – he relented, Queen Helerra was right in commissioning him a new one. Stealing past guards was a simple matter of watching for their rotations and memorizing their rounds. But so far he had yet to actually fully enter the castle proper.<p>

Additional surveillance had been placed around each entrance and there wasn't a window that wasn't in sight of at least one guard at all times. There was a greater amount of activity around the grounds as well, as an unusual amount of guests had arrived. During the day it swarmed with activity as servants ran around, tending to the multitude of nobles and foreign guests. His thoughts had at once turned to the conversation between those two guards. Dignitaries and gala were all he needed to add it up and draw conclusions.

Something big was happening at the castle and that could only mean a small number of things: an alliance was being made, Zelda was about to enter marriage – Goddesses forbid -, it was one of the celebrated Goddess days – which he knew it was not -, or it was a blessing ceremony. That had to be it. The blessing ceremony was something he'd witnessed in each of his lifetimes. Six months before Zelda would turn eighteen and be crowned queen she had to obtain the blessing of the Goddesses in the Temple of Time, followed by a monthly worship in which Zelda would seclude herself within the temple for the entire day and pray. The Goddesses could either bless her or reject her as the true heir, and so far she'd never once been rejected. A month before the actual blessing took place it was customary to celebrate with a gala, followed by an even grander event a fortnight later that included all inhabitants of the town, not just the persons of importance.

If this was indeed for the blessing ceremony then Zelda in this era must be almost seventeen and a half. That thought lightened his heart because now he knew that they were so close in age. Also she would have already received her memories back and was probably awaiting his arrival.

He couldn't get close to her now, but his nightly observations gave him reason to believe that at last he'd located her quarters. The castle had been renovated with minor to major adjustments. The main structure was similar to the previous castle, however he noted many additional sections and towers that had been absent before. He'd have to see about locating all the secret passages again as well. He could try to get in as he was and ask for a meeting with her, but the guards probably wouldn't let him past the gates, not to mention he wanted to surprise her.

Until then, his best chance of reaching her was at the night of the gala. The guards would be focused around the throne room where the party was to take place, and Zelda always made her appearance last. He'd take that time she spent preparing to sneak into her rooms and shock the living daylights out of her.

The waiting was torture though. He cast one more look of longing at the castle and turned down the street, his slow strides bearing him away.

His route took him to the Temple of Time, and at this early hour it was unsurprisingly empty, too soon for even the priests and priestesses to pay their worship. He walked down the red carpet then bent to his knees in front of the dais. He closed his eyes and bowed his head in prayer, silently wishing for all to go well. He felt the Triforce on his hand pulse under his glove in piety.

He knelt there for almost ten minutes before he was disturbed.

The large doors opened with a heavy groan and the clacking of heels followed as someone slipped inside.

"This is supposed to be a discreet excursion! How am I to be discreet with a bunch of pining dogs at my heels at all times!"

"But-"

The door slammed shut, cutting off whatever it was that the person outside was going to say. A male sigh echoed in the enormous room and then there was the soft padding of footsteps as he strolled down the carpet and came to kneel at Link's side before the dais.

Link went back to his prayers as the one beside him bowed his head and did the same. They stayed quiet for a full five minutes before the other man sat back on his heels and exhaled a puff of air.

"Guards. Can't stand them," he said listlessly. "More like leeches, I say. Persistent, don't let go unless you forcibly remove them, and unsavory in character that's for sure."

Link shifted. Must be the son of some rich noble to have guards tailing him. He set to ignore him as best he could.

"Should do away with the lot, would serve them all right," said the man, the rustling of fabric accompanying his statement. "Praying to the Goddesses are you?"

Link released a slow controlled breath. "That is usually what people do when they enter a holy temple."

"You been here long?"

"A short while, yes," said Link through his teeth, wanting to get back to his prayers.

The man sighed woefully. "Ah, well. You'll probably be leaving soon then. I, however, must stay for a full thirty minutes, at the least."

"Then it's best to use the time wisely and pray," Link said tersely, slitting his eyes open and peering at the man. He was concealed by a massive cloak too large for his frame, his hood was up and it partially covered his face. Link spotted a sharp jaw and pointed chin, above which a thin mouth was set in a dour frown, wrinkling his nose. That was all Link could see of his face from his profile. By his personality Link could determine that he was haughty and impatient, plenty used to getting his way. Sure signs of a noble.

"Thing is," said the man sitting back with his legs crossed. "It shouldn't really matter how long I pray, should it? I only ever need a few words to thank the Goddesses. I hardly think they'd grant me additional favor if I planned a long speech for them, inserting unnecessary verbatim that could lead to confounding and mix the message I'm trying to get across. No added frivolities, straight to the point. Makes it easier on them as well, seeing as they have to listen to everyone else's prayers. Can you imagine how many thousands of long daunting pleas they have to get through a day? Overworked and underpaid, that's what it is. Our poor Goddesses. Need a chance at respite. The least I can do is cut back their workload a tad."

"You don't have to pray the entirety of the time," Link said, becoming defensive. "As long as you're there to bask in their presence…"

"Yes, I suppose…" the man mused. "Yes, that works. I always do have a rough time thinking up things to say. Usually I just daydream through it all. And how anyone can live through weekly masses is beyond me. An hour long ritual… makes us seem like some sort of cult!"

"Participating in a religious practice is not the same as a cult," stated Link.

"But it is dreadfully boring."

Why was he talking religion with some noble boy? Back in the day one would hardly ever find a noble and peasant conversing on such pleasant and casual terms. He was glad to some degree that progress had been made to bridge the gap in treatment. When it had been instated as a new law it had really been a struggle to put aside status discriminations. Even still, there were those who remained opposed to the idea, saying that nobles and peasants just didn't mingle.

Although mingling with this noble was more of a nuisance.

Link hoisted himself up to his feet. "I should be going now."

"The boredom getting to you, I suppose. Well then, tah!" the noble waved and Link did his best to discreetly rush out of the temple.

He passed the guards waiting at the doors and hurried down the street. It was early morning, and many of the townsfolk had pulled themselves out of bed and were up and about. Link reached the inn and snuck through the window of his room. Vrel was sleeping soundly on the bed, having not once stirred or awakened. Of course he wouldn't. Link had covertly bought a small pouch of sleeping powder as Vrel and Adra had been picking at the treats at the sweet stand, and had dissolved a bit in Vrel's drink that night at supper.

He'd have an hour or so before Vrel actually showed signs of waking.

Link plopped down on his bed, falling asleep instantly. He'd gotten little rest between exploring the town with Vrel and Adra, and snooping around the castle. He'd savor as much as he could.

* * *

><p>As the night of the gala drew near Link grew more and more restless. Vrel and Adra had yet to attribute his fidgeting to anything worthwhile, but had definitely noticed something about him that screamed out of character. More out of character than he'd been for the past while at least.<p>

On the evening of the gala Link was then confronted with a new problem. How was he to leave without being noticed? But he had an easy plan to overcome it.

Link thudded down the stairs to the pub and found Adra and Vrel occupying a table laden with the night's dinner.

He strode past them. "I'm going out for a walk."

See, easy.

Adra choked on her drink. "At this time? Where in Hyrule would you go? Most of the shops are closed."

"Oh, hush, Adra," inserted Vrel, leaning back in his seat. "You know he's been eyeing the stables. Those horses are really something, you know. I wouldn't mind getting one for myself, if it didn't cost so ruddy much at least."

Thankful for Vrel's interference, Link waved at Odol, who beamed and waved back at him, and exited into the twilit night. He walked along the street then backtracked down an alley that led off directly behind the inn. He cast a glance around, standing in the area where the waste was taken out and food was delivered, making sure that no one was in sight.

Deftly, he took out his hookshot, aimed it and fired. It dug firmly into the wood of the windowsill and with a click the latch released and pulled him up. Silently, he crept into his room, he'd left the shutters open just for this reason, and began tearing off his tunic. He stripped himself to dress in the magnificent fineries he'd discovered in one of his pouch pockets, courtesy of Queen Zora. The cloth enlarged as he brought it out. He drew it over his head then paused momentarily, tugging it off in shock.

"Why that damned queen." Link stared with incredulous fascination at the neat navy blue stitches on the inside of the collar, right where the nape of his neck would touch. "She said only the Zora armor, she never mentioned signing the others."

An evident _Q. Helerra_ stared back at him, the glossy threads a direct taunt from afar. He'd have to see about getting it removed later, right now he hadn't the time. It rankled him that he'd have to attend the gala knowing _that_ was on his clothes.

When he had finished dressing, his skin brushing against the finer fabric, he gleaned himself in the mirror and admired the stunning apparel. It was teal blue tunic done up with gold buttons on one side and latching at the collar where hung a pair of small tassels. The Queen had also added the necessary accessories and formal boots needed to complete the look. His sword he secured to the belt at his waist, along with his magic pouches.

He had just finished fastening the silver epaulets to his shoulders when steps on the stairs alerted him. Hastily he stuffed his regular clothes inside his sack and threw it under his bed. Then he shot out of the window into the night air.

Hours ago he had determined that if he wanted to have access to the castle, he'd have to attend the gala as a noble. Maybe he'd surprise Zelda with a dance. Ah, he doubted his patience would last that long. Soon, very soon, he'd see her again. See her, and then what?

Improvise, he decided. Improvisation consisting of a lot of affection.

An hour later saw Link roaming among the nobles in the throne room, frantically searching his mind for a plan to bypass the guards to the royal wing. He attracted many stares, particularly from those among the feminine persuasion. A group of noblewomen giggled behind their fans as he glanced in their direction.

It had been as simple as filching an invitation from one of the noblemen hovering in conversation at the door, then being announced as someone he wasn't – nobody ever really paid attention, they'd only look up when the Princess was announced - and being granted entrance.

As it was drawing closer to the end of summer, the nights had become longer. It was early evening, about an hour and a half before the guests would be seated to dine, and an hour before Zelda would make her appearance.

"Why does the queen not come herself? Surely her presence is merited by an event like this?" said a stout nobleman nearby, possibly one of the ministers on the council.

His gaze shifted over to settle on an elderly man and the Zora proxy who'd been sent in place of Queen Helerra.

The Zora sighed as if he'd reiterated all this before. "Our queen deeply apologizes, but she has been unwell as of late and should not be out of the water for too long. The travel would wear her down and only further her illness."

The nobleman scoffed. "That woman is as resilient as they come. Surely it cannot be all that dire?"

The Zora let out a subtle sigh before his eyes caught Link's and recognition flashed through him. "Excuse me, my lord Hendry. There is something to which I must attend."

Lord Hendry cleared his throat. "Very well, very well. Off with you now. Be sure to notify me if there is any change in her condition. It never does well to have an ill monarch."

"I shall," the Zora nodded politely, before heading to meet Link.

Link stood off to the side and ducked behind one of the white-marbled pillars as the Zora approached him.

"Hero," the Zora greeted quietly, and Link was grateful for his hushed tone. "I am Byron, of Queen Helerra's court."

"Queen Zora is not really sick, is she?" asked Link with a small level of concern to his voice.

But the Zora shook his head. "No, of course not. She will remain within the domain to protect it until the evil has passed. I am surprised to see you here, many of us had thought you'd gone to investigate the evil lord's whereabouts."

Link glanced away shiftily. "There are things that I must consider that come first." He observed all the guests within the throne room. Both of them grew silent as a gaggle of women slowly passed them by. Link tugged at his cuffs and spoke once they'd gone. "Has there been any recent changes?"

Byron shook his head. "Not any to note. Although some of the Zoras at Lake Hylia say that the magic surrounding the temple has been fluctuating as of late. And recently they unearthed a hidden cavern beneath the waters. Queen Helerra has sent a squad to explore it."

Link paused as the same gaggle of women made a second pass over their location. Inwardly, the feeling of unease settled on him, like a dark shroud that covered his vision and left him blind. He was grappling for answers. Something was different this time around. Ganondorf was waiting for something. The question now was what? What could possibly be allaying his moment of attack? And did he act on pre-examined memories, or was it fateful delay?

"I need to see Zelda," he muttered, then said this fortified. "I need to see the regent. If there is anything fishy – and I mean that in the lightest of senses – going on in Hyrule it would have been brought to her attention straight away. I need a clear picture to work with."

"But – hero-" Byron started, and jumped as Link placed a hand on his blue-scaled shoulder.

"I shall return soon, possibly within the hour. We shall discuss this further with Princess Zelda in attendance," said Link and on that note he spun away. Avoiding the same women who'd batted their eyes at him earlier, he took to the halls.

Roaming the corridors wasn't exactly disallowed, as there were instances when a few of the nobles may desire a small reprise from the heat and noise of the full room. But there were places that had been sanctioned off as restricted areas. The royal wing was one of them.

Peeking around the corner, he spied a watch guarding the door, above which rested a depiction of the Harkinian emblem, the spread of a bird with the Triforce hovering over it.

He scooted back as one of the guards looked his way and breathed out when the alarm wasn't sounded. Now what?

He reached under his tunic. He hadn't wanted to resort to this, but no alternative ideas were forthcoming. He withdrew his bomb bag from his belt and pulled out a bomb. He lit it from the fires of a brazier, and rolled it down the corridor, away from the guards. A few beats later it detonated, blasting an orifice into the stone.

"What was that!"

Link ducked into an alcove behind the statue of a large-billed bird as one of the guards came racing down the hallway. He saw the damage done then flew off after his unknown quarry. One guard remained to stand sentinel over the door, head poised and alert. Link initiated the same action and let another bomb roll. As it exploded the guard snapped out his sword.

"Taldus! He's retraced his steps! Quick, this way!" He shot off down the hallway and veered left down a perpendicular one. Not long after the first guard sprinted after him.

Coast clear, Link mentally patted himself on the back, a job well done, and slithered into the royal wing.

Zelda's room would be on the top floor, the best point of advantage for viewing the happenings down in the square. She always did love watching the people as they went about their days. It made her feel closer to them, as if she was truly guarding them from on high.

He emerged at the end of a long corridor, and a navy blue rug led him towards a white-polished door bearing the crest of the royal family, and to what he suspected were Zelda's chambers.

This was it... the moment of reckoning, what he'd suffered and endured years of waiting for. Finally, he would be reunited with his love.

Trepidation ate at him as he grasped the handle and twisted. Pushing the door open, he slipped inside. He could barely distinguish the vague outlines of furniture scattered about the room. A dead hearth in one corner made him realize just how cold it was in here.

He delved further in, hesitating only a second before twisting the knob on her bedroom door. He expected to see her sitting at her vanity, all dolled up and waiting for the hour she was to go down to the gala, but the seat was empty. Darkness pervaded, but for a small amount of illumination that filtered through the balcony window, casting subtle glows on a bed covered with a white sheet, the drapes having been removed. Standing in the center, Link took in the similarly covered desk and wardrobe, a fine layer of dust having settled over it. The air was musty and stale, as if it hadn't had any ventilation for a while.

It came upon him then. This wasn't her room. He must have chosen the wrong one, his memories of her preferences and habits having confounded the notion that he could have been wrong.

He strode to the balcony, watching the lights of the town through the muggy glass. He'd have to keep searching then.

The sudden click of the door as the bolt latched brought his attention to another presence in the room. Heart rate skyrocketing, hopeful, and nervous all at once, he swivelled around, his gaze eager.

"Zelda?"

"Zelda? I think not," a voice replied, a soft tenor that tugged at Link's memories.

A shadowed figure stood in front of the door. Link's eyes had adjusted to the dimness but still he couldn't quite make out the person's identity.

Then the figure stepped forward into the light, and Link suddenly felt his world falling away.

Sheik tilted his head, appearing to consider him, golden locks falling over the right half of his face. He brushed them away casually as he inquired, "Who are you?"


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I had to rewrite this around five times and still it feels like a 'meh'. Finally, though, it has everything that I wanted to address in it. I had to do research to find out all of the minister positions. I must have referred to at least 3 different resources and picked what I wanted from each. The Twelve Kingdoms was a great help for that.**

**Thanks to those who reviewed: Generala, ObscurityProject, Death Waltz, Dellange, Flik98, and BloodSpire! Hugs and kisses to you all!**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

Link blinked, incredulously. The person who stood before him was almost an exact replica of Sheik from the Hero of Time's era, nix the bandages and ninja suit. The same frond of shimmering gold hair drooped over his right eye, which he habitually swiped away in annoyance, his jaw line was sharp, leading to a pointed chin, and he possessed the same low cultured voice. However, there were slight differences as well. His red eyes, for instance, had been traded in for a pair of ice blue ones, and yet the same shape and depth of them remained. He was pale-skinned rather than tanned, and markedly taller than what he used to be. What struck him the most was his attire. His clothes were that befitting a kingly station, and he bore them well, his pose regal and upright.

Sheik strode forward and it was then that Link noticed a hand wrapping around the hilt of a sword.

"Not to be rude, - although if I do say so, I pull that off rather marvelously – but I believe you have the wrong quarters," Sheik said stonily, scrutinizing him. "What have we here? A foe? A questionable character set to defile a sweet maiden's chastity? Blackguard," he hissed with all sorts of revulsion and disgust reflected in his tone.

Link blinked, momentarily stunned.

When had Sheik become so… so pompous? He sounded exactly like one of those frilly nobles that Link used to contend with as king. Dainty men who passed out when they found the smallest speck of dirt on their sleeves. It was a stark contrast from his former serious and simple mannerism. The Sheik he'd known had been austere but at the same time steadfast and sincere.

This one was a wild card. Link had no idea what to expect.

Link touched a hand to his own sword, ready to draw it at any action taken on Sheik's part. He determined to soothe things over before they got out of hand. "My apologies, I had not meant to intrude. I merely wanted to locate the regent's chambers." He winced. That did sound incriminating. He should have worded it better.

Sheik took a step forward. "Why? So you could assassinate him? I think not!"

Link was taken aback, both by the vehemence in Sheik's voice and because of something he'd said. _Him_? "Him?" he iterated out loud. "What in Hyrule are you talking about?"

He hastily slid his foot back as Sheik drew his sword, the zing of metal piercing in the hollow chamber. "No, the question is what are you talking about?"

"You said _him_," said Link, confused. "But then, who's the regent?" Link's mind whirred as his thoughts took a mental turnover. He wanted to doubt it but all signs pointed to that one obvious fact and he dared not think about it, not until it was confirmed or denied.

Sheik tossed his hair and flipped his sword. His voice was smug as he saw the dawning in Link's eyes. "Ah, I see that you've come to the correct conclusion. Yes, _I_ am the regent."

Sheik was the regent? But then what about Zelda? She'd always pictured somewhere in the forefront of Hyrule politics, always as the acting regent, always in line to become queen. For a second that horrible remembrance of her premature death infiltrated his mind like a festering wound. After she had died and Hyrule was reclaimed by the people a relation of hers had assumed the throne in her stead. Her death had penetrated the people and the land like a piercing arrow driven in their hearts, but the monarchy had to be restored in order for Hyrule to thrive. What if that small change had affected the cycle of rebirths, what if because her direct line had ended, she had not been reborn?

Or what if…

It was a hopeful and a loathsome consideration, one that made him squeamish on the inside. His eyes trailed down briefly to Sheik's flat chest, then darted back up. Sheik had been Zelda's counterpart long ago. With the assistance of her guardian, Impa, and using Sheikah magic she was enabled to transform her body to that of a man's. Sheik and Zelda were forever one and the same, and if that still remained the truth of the matter… He stared at Sheik, eyes dilated widely to absorb any trace of light they could in the dark, and tried to detect any hint of Zelda in there. But it couldn't possibly be. What point would she have to masquerade as a man, unless if she had been born one? But he was not so prepared to latch onto that deduction.

"Do you know, Zelda? Is she a relation of yours?" Link asked suddenly. Logic implied that since she had not continued the direct line, perhaps she was not born to it. Maybe she was from a branch family?

Sheik looked at him crossly. "No, I've never heard of the woman." His tone then went dark. "Unless, you're referring to the lovely rulers of old, of which I am descended from. And I must say that if you came looking to defile them I'd be rather disturbed."

"No cousin? Second cousin? Distant relation?" Link urged, not yet willing to give up. But he knew he was grasping at straws.

"Enough!" Sheik snarled, snapping his sword horizontally then pulling back. "It is evident that whatever you seek your intentions are impure."

"No, I-"

"You meant to find the regent, and here I am," said Sheik sardonically, spreading his arms, then circled his sword and bringing it about so that he looked down its length at Link. "Prepare yourself, assassin. I shall take pleasure in your dismemberment!"

Then he lunged.

Link sidestepped and twirled, bringing his sword to clash with Sheik's as he swung around. Sheik let loose a raged flurry of strikes and Link met them, parrying expertly against the barrage. Steel flashed as moonlight glinted off the weapons. Sheik feinted to the right, then shot back and booted Link in the lower abdomen.

Caught off guard, Link gasped and retreated, hopping aside and flipping backwards out of the way. He clutched at his stomach, feeling the tenderness as the beginnings of an impressive bruise formed. He gazed widely at the man. He had not expected such underhanded tactics from Sheik of all people.

Rather, no such underhandedness had been directed before at him.

He reminded himself that Sheik had once been a Sheikah, first and foremost, and Sheikah utilized whatever means to ensure their success. Victory preceded honor in their values. That was one of the reasons why they'd been so looked down upon at court, but protection for the royal family necessitated their actions.

Sheik spun around, arching a thin eyebrow. "Fancy maneuver. I may or may not be impressed."

Link smirked and straightened, ignoring the pain. "You've seen nothing yet."

"We'll see about that."

Link became more cautious as Sheik assailed him once more. The sound of metal slabs greeting one another in ringing collisions resounded against the walls. Link moved as he had practiced, all those hours of training coming to fruition against an adversary who he didn't even consider an enemy, but who seemed rather intent on ending his life, or at the very least, rendering him powerless. The room filled with their muted grunts. At one point Sheik might have actually succeeded in his claim to dismember him as one of his strike's would have cleaved off his sword arm had Link not blocked it in time. Sheik continued to barrage him, incorporating punches and kicks whenever the opportunity arose, and Link defended.

It was evident the Sheik was well versed in swordsmanship, a particular statement brought to reality as he successfully drew first blood. With shear force, Link shoved his weight behind his blade and Sheik skidded back. Both men stood staring at each other, panting on opposite sides of the room, the exertion taking its toll. Link touched his hand to his left forearm where his tunic had been sliced and a line of blood seeped out.

"I intend no harm," Link said breathlessly, eyeing his opponent with wary cautiousness.

Sheik delayed his answer to snatch a moment of respite, but then he raised his sword, both hands grasping the hilt. "And should I believe you, assassin?"

Executing a maneuver that Link hadn't considered possible, Sheik jumped on the armoire, and continuing his momentum, ran horizontal against the _wall_, flipping off to land behind Link, directly before the pair of glass doors that led to the balcony. The light of the moon shadowed his features.

Sheik brought his sword point downwards and dove. Link was ready and performed a backflip in order to evade him. The tip of Sheik's sword scraped against the floor, igniting sparks. Furious, Sheik swiped once and held his sword aloft over his head.

Then suddenly things turned chaotic. The windows shattered, Sheik abruptly aborted his attack and both he and Link covered themselves at the sudden onslaught of glass and debris. The massive mounds of dust kicked up, clouding the room and throwing them into a coughing fit.

"What in Hyrule?" said Sheik coughing into his fist. The dust settled and his coughing receded. Sheik swerved around only to be met with a fist to his jaw.

Sheik yelped and fell back against the bed, scrambling for the post so that he wouldn't fall onto the glass-strewn floor.

Two dark cloaked figures wearing keaton masks entered through the aperture. Their hands sparked with dark magic and Link reacted.

"Sheik, look out!"

Within the space of a second, Link jumped in, grasped Sheik by the tunic and heaved him out of harms way, while at the same time bringing up his sword to deflect the attack.

The masked figures pulled back, as their assault was interrupted, then reengaged with coarse vigor. One of the masked beings unearthed a pair of dual broadswords from beneath his cloak, the other drew a tarnished straight sword. Link stood his ground, the glass beneath his boots crunching as he took his stance.

Sheik recovered from the brusque treatment and stood gazing at Link incredulously. "What did you call me?"

Link grimaced at the demanding tone. He had slipped up. Having nothing else to address him as, he'd regressed to his mental depiction of him. It was very likely though that this man was in fact not Sheik and had taken the mistaken identity as a slight.

No matter, they didn't have time to discuss it now.

"Who are you?" Link said, but the masked figures' only response was to charge at him.

The enemy accosted him on two fronts, the one spinning his dual blades expertly and the other using predominantly slicing and slashing motions meant to carve flesh. It had been a while since Link had done battle against multiple foes all at once, and as much as he acknowledged the seriousness of the situation, he couldn't help but feel a sense of thrill. The cry of battle sang through his veins, and he answered it with relish. These weren't Sheik, they were assassins, and he didn't have to use primarily defensive methods, he was free to actively attack. He grinned and stared down at the incoming duo.

He struck as the one with the dual blades engaged him, attempting to push him into his companion's attack. The masked beings sought to manipulate the fight and drive him towards the shattered balcony doors, but Link made it his goal to keep himself firmly planted between the assassins and Sheik, their obvious target.

In a sudden move, one of the assassins got the upper hand and knocked Link to the ground. Link shimmied backwards as the pointed blade tore a rift down the front of his formal wear. The assassin commenced a finishing blow but then another blade intercepted its trajectory, swiping it aside. Sheik stood over him, his arms trembling as he held against the force of the assassin. With a roar and a mighty shove, he sent him tottering away.

Sheik heaved and looked down at Link.

"You called me Sheik, didn't you?" Sheik said, accusation lacing his tone. But then, the second assassin swooped in. While Sheik's attention was diverted, the first assassin snuck up to his unprotected side, hands igniting with that same black magic.

Link rolled back and executed a kick up, which knocked the assassin right in the face. His left heel caught him on the neck and momentarily sealed his airway. While the assassin clutched laboriously at his throat, working to catch his breath, Link seized him in a strangle-hold. He tossed him over his shoulder and threw him to the ground. The assassin's head thudded hard against the floor. He lay unmoving, thoroughly knocked out.

Link turned his sights to the battle with Sheik and the remaining assassin, noticing that the later was fast becoming overwhelmed. In a lithe flowing movement, Sheik side-stepped the assassin's maddened thrust and bore the hilt of his blade down between the shoulder blades. The assassin let out a mangled groan, and was forced down. Sheik followed up bringing a strong leg upwards in a swooping curve before slamming his heel in the same place, causing the assassin to collapse fully, splayed out on the ground.

_Well, now I know that he can hold his own_, thought Link smiling candidly. _Not that the little bout before hadn't already implied that._

Sheik waited to see whether the assassin would get up and smiled when they remained unmoving.

"Filthy brutes," Sheik snorted as he stepped over the assassin's prone form, dusting himself off as if he had merely taken a tumble.

Link frowned. How could he trivialize an attempt on his life like that?

Sheik then met his eyes and Link guardedly tightened his hold around his blade. Sheik's eyes flicked to the motion then back up, but he did not resume his belligerent behavior. Instead he lifted a fisted hand to his mouth and cleared his throat. "Now then-"

Frantic shouting accompanied by the muffled sound of pounding footsteps carried from beyond the suite. Sheik heaved a long-suffering sigh and jammed his sword back within its scabbard. He stood erect, hands clasped behind his back, and tossed Link a cynical smile.

"Ah, Hyrule's great defenders. At last," he said sardonically and clearly implying through his tone how unimpressed he was.

Link straightened slowly but kept his sword out as the door was thrown open to a flood of armored guards, bearing torches and swords, unsheathed and held aloft threateningly. They looked at Sheik then at Link and pointed their blades at him. They had yet to notice the two unconscious men in the room. The shadows and their dark cloaks concealed them. Sheik sighed.

There was a clamor from the rear as someone forced their way through.

"Out of the way, out of the way! Step aside!" a man emerged, face pale and gaunt, he was skinny and reminded Link rather of a stick bug, tall and square. His clothes gave away his position as a high class noble.

"Your highness!" he exclaimed, and rushed forward to inspect the regent. "Are you alright? When you didn't appear at the gala lord Hendry nearly threw a fit. We have the others calming him down along with the other guests while I went in search for you. I arrived as soon as I could." He cast his eyes around, taking in the state of the room. His face paled even further in the faint glow of the torches as he glanced down at the scattered glass then landed his gaze at Link. "You! What have you done to his highness?! I swear, if you so dared as to lay a hand on him you will be punished severely."

Sheik scoffed with all manner of pomp. "I assure you that I am unharmed. Relatively. Really lord Kincaid, there is no need to overreact. As you can see, my friend and I are quite sufficient at protecting ourselves."

He stepped aside then swept his hand out, directing their attention to the unconscious being on the floor.

Lord Kincaid stared in shock then jabbed a bony finger at the body. "Guards, seize this vermin!"

The soldiers pounced. The assassin's arms were grasped and he was lifted to hang limply between two of the men, while another guard relieved the assassin of his weapons.

"There's another over here," Link offered and watched the same actions taken towards that assassin.

The assassins were jostled and dragged out of the room. Both stayed unconscious.

"My Goddesses, the girl was right!" said lord Kincaid, befuddled.

Sheik sighed, smiling languidly. "Indeed. Did I not tell you that a smart ruler heeds the words of all his subjects? Especially if they bear warning of an imminent attack. Best not to take anyone lightly. Could you imagine if I had not come prepared and was taken by surprise in my own rooms? Considerable damage has been done, it would have been horrible had my chambers been torn apart like this."

Link frowned, puzzled. "Then you were aware there'd be an attempt on your life?"

Sheik moved the vanity chair aside and walked forward. "A warning had come from a tavern girl who'd overheard a conversation. At first I had thought the assassin was you, but then these two came and I realized that I'd been mistaken."

No. He had changed his mind when Link had uttered _that_ name. Which implied that he was familiar with it. Link acknowledged the meaningful gaze that Sheik sent him and gave a subtle nod. Sheik didn't want it blurted out before anyone else. He had a feeling that Sheik would want a long chat about it come later.

"How do you know that this man is not working with them, your highness? He could be a spy, sent to gain your trust and then kill you when your guard is down," lord Kincaid said skeptically, staring at Link through slitted eyes.

Sheik threw his head back and laughed. "Are you serious? Don't be preposterous, this man is a dear friend of mine."

"Really?" said lord Kincaid dubiously. "I've never seen him before. What's your name, sir?"

Not versed in the ways of extracting information was he? He should have directed the question toward Sheik in order to verify the allegation. What did Sheik intend by forging this connection between them. "I am Link."

"Just Link?"

Sheik cleared his throat abruptly. "Anyways, for the past few weeks I've been spending my nights within this suite in order to lure them out."

So the one who'd been occupying this section of the royal wing had been Sheik? It seemed that Link as well had been fooled.

"And then you jumped the bow," an elderly woman's voice suddenly broke in. She stood framed by the doorway and compared to her stature it looked like the threshold of a Goron dwelling. She was short and stooped over and walked with the support of a cane. "Always an impulsive little brat you were. Couldn't wait for the trap to be set in place, you wanted to face them alone, with no back up."

Sheik folded his arms. "I had Link. What other back up did I need?"

But the old woman just raised a cynical eyebrow.

"Lady Brula, that is no way to address the Prince of Hyrule," said lord Kincaid, snappishly. He froze as Brula's eyes flicked to him, a piercing red in the dim light. Automatically the remaining soldiers stiffened and lord Kincaid's face lost its remaining bit of color.

Link's eyes widened. A Sheikah!

"Yes, yes, you were right. I should have waited," said Sheik, striding forward. "Let us just go. I have to tidy up for the gala. Goodness knows I'm quite the sight to behold. This would surely give lord Hendry an aneurysm."

They exited the chambers, Sheik taking the lead. He was immediately stifled by a huddle of guards as lord Kincaid made a hand motion and they jumped to surround him. Sheik sighed.

They traveled along the blue-carpeted hallway then descended down a set of stairs. Upon arriving at the second floor they came upon the guards who had taken the assassins away. They stood arguing and gesturing madly, and some appeared fearful.

Link tensed, scanning around. The prisoners were nowhere to be seen.

"What in all of Hyrule!" lord Kincaid scowled.

Sheik took stock of the situation and parted through the defensive circle of befuddled guards. "Silence!"

The guards automatically snapped to attention, gazes flickering around and shifting nervously.

Link studied them, how they all avoided looking directly at Sheik and how they trembled noticeably as if they knew they were in trouble.

"What is all this commotion for? Have my captains trained a rabble of incompetent cuccoos?" Sheik's voice and the blatant insult made them all flinch. "And where are the prisoners?" Sheik said more urgently.

The guards stiffened, one paled so much it looked as if he might faint.

"Well? Speak up men! You! Tell his highness what's going on!" ordered lord Kincaid.

The man he'd pointed to hesitantly took a step forward. Link braced himself for what was coming. "Your highness. It isn't what it looks like."

Sheik frowned and stepped forward. "I see my men, Hyrule's greatest warriors quarrelling like a bunch of cuccoos. I see them tense and afraid, and I see that there are two very missing and dangerous criminals," said Sheik coldly. "Do you or do you not admit that you've allowed the captives to escape?"

"No – no, your highness. They've not escaped, they've both…they've – they've both…disappeared…"

"Disappeared?" asked Link abruptly.

"Disappeared," the guard replied, and the others quickly nodded in affirmation.

"How did they disappear?" pressed Link. Sheik eyed him thoughtfully then turned to listen as well.

"We were heading towards the dungeons, doing as ordered, then suddenly there was nothing to hold on to. They turned into a large cloud of smoke," he explained, sweating profusely from being put on the spot.

"What color was the smoke?"

Another guard spoke up. "It was both black and purple, and it was dry, like the sort when you kill one of those monsters out in the fields and they go poof. But I swear these were human."

"So they vanished as a monster does when you kill it?" Sheik affirmed.

"Exactly."

"Preposterous!" shot lord Kincaid. "No Human or Hylian just vanishes in a puff of smoke! They must have teleported using black sorcery!"

"They weren't awake," said the guard.

Lord Kincaid rounded on him and the guard drew back in fright. "Then they must have been summoned!"

Most monsters' bodies upon death either turned into a cloud of smoke immediately or after a short to lengthy lag, which dissipated into the atmosphere, or their bodies faded over a few minutes. The assumption that they had teleported could be discarded for the simple argument that the guard had provided, and a summoning was just as unlikely due to the fact that it generates an extensive burst of magic from the subject being summoned and Link had not sensed any such discharge.

But for the assassins to die a monster's death…

"There is nothing we can do for now," said Sheik, turning towards the line of guards. "All of you return to your duties. Lord Kincaid, I want you to go back to the gala and inform anyone who asks that I've been delayed and will arrive shortly. Do this with as little disruption as possible. See that you keep your emotions in check, no need to arouse the people's panic. Brula and Link are to come with me."

The last was an order that Link couldn't refuse. The guards obeyed and split off back to their posts. Lord Kincaid looked as if he wanted to argue, but a stern glare from Brula quickly sent him scurrying off.

Sheik took them to his personal suite and once there slammed the door before the guards could even make to enter. Brula pressed a wrinkled old hand to the door and the air pulsed and Link sensed a sheet of magic sown around them, bursting out and clinging to the walls, ceiling, and floor like a skulltula web.

Sheik sighed. "Persistent little leeches, I tell you," he said, gesturing at the door.

Wait a moment. Leeches?

"You're the man from the temple," Link said in realization and at this Sheik quirked an eyebrow, frowning in confusion before enlightenment shone in his eyes.

"Ah, I remember. So you're the stingy one who was praying to the Goddesses that day. I thought I had recognized you."

Now that it had been confirmed he was able to draw the comparisons and match them up. He had that same overbearing attitude as the man in the temple, also the same jaw structure and voice.

"See Brula. Now if that stuffy lord asks, you can confirm that Link and I have become friends long before this little affair took place."

Brula nodded, although the expression on her wrinkled face was not impressed. "Indeed. And why is it that you saw fit to befriend a complete stranger?" She then looked over at Link, her eyes burning with scrutiny. "Who are you really? You dress as a nobleman but I can say for certain that you are not on the guest list."

The most distinguishing feature that the Sheikah's possessed were their steely red eyes. Brula's shone hot as fire now – if such a thing were possible -, and they were boring a hole right into his head.

"Now Brula, no need for an interrogation," chastised Sheik as he pulled a cord on the wall. "My attendants will be here shortly. In the meantime, Link, I would like you to tell me how you know that name."

"What name?" snapped Brula in a sharp tone.

Sheik leered at him. "When those fiends had struck, you referred to me as Sheik, a name associated with one of my ancestors of old. Her alter ego had been kept a well-guarded secret throughout Hyrule history. Only the direct line of Harkinians and the those of the Sheikah race know of it."

A silence permeated the air. Link tried to gauge Brula's reaction but she appeared neutral.

"Reveal your left hand," she said impartially, spurring Sheik's interest.

"Surely you don't believe-" started Sheik, astounded. "He couldn't possibly be-"

Frowning, but faced with little choice, Link torpidly fingered the hem of his glove and slipped it down, flashing the golden emblem on the back of his hand.

Brula's features tightened as Sheik gasped sharply. "Great lovely Goddesses!"

Link quickly replaced his glove. "What you saw doesn't leave this room. Please, that is one request that you must abide."

The old woman nodded and made sure that Sheik did the same. "It shall be as you say, great hero."

Sheik turned on her. "Great? He has yet to do anything." His face fell as he threw an arm over his eyes in sudden realization. "Gorgeous Farore! This means that Hyrule is headed toward ruin! My crown will be handed over to some evil overlord!"

"That is something I've been wondering," said Link at once. "The legends always depict a princess who aids the hero with his exploits, however there is only…" he trailed, eyeing Sheik with wary distress.

Sheik proudly puffed his chest out. "Alas, I am no princess, however I do hope I make a suitable alternative."

Brula smacked his thigh with her cane. "Presumptuous fool," she said scowling. "As for the princess, I'm afraid that no such being exists presently. How that will affect future events, I do not know."

"Then, she is…" Link trailed.

He was crushed, his heart shattering to pieces as an immense sorrow filled his being. His mind became blank, thinking became too unbearable as his thoughts constantly drifted to that last moment he shared with her, witnessing the light fleeing her eyes as her body became an empty casket. Then denial set in. She couldn't be truly gone…

"Is that this Zelda character you've been going on about?" asked Sheik ostentatiously, ignorant to Link's bereavement. He went on jauntily. "Rather forward of you, trying to sneak in and see her. I imagine she'd be quite appalled."

Was this punishment from above? The Goddesses adjudicating that he was a wretched man and undeserving of her for his felony against their vows? Then it was merited. The Goddesses had every right to enact suffering upon him. In ways worse than death, it was he who had shattered her light.

Brula darted her eyes towards Link, brow pinched with concern. Link looked away, he didn't need the Sheikah's pity, and if they still remained as sly and formidable as they had been years ago she'd already know about the rebirthing process and possibly the fate of the hero and princess in their previous lifetime.

"How thoughtless of me, I have yet to formally introduce myself," said Sheik, taking a moment to smooth the wrinkles out of his shirt, a futile effort. "I am Prince Zellandus Harkinian Hyrule. A pleasure to make my acquaintance, I'm sure."

Zellandus? Link's ears perked up at hearing the familiar phonemes and his grief momentarily subsided. Again he thought, _could it be?_ It comprised of all the basic parts of her name. Just be rid of the _lan_ and replace _us_ at the end with an 'a' and it became her name. Perhaps destiny had blundered. It wouldn't be the first time he'd questioned the Goddesses plans.

"Although I am often referred to by my middle name, which is Goddrey, however I much prefer it abbreviated, so you may call me God."

Link blinked. If this was Zelda as a boy her personality had taken a major turnover. He'd have to wait and see. He did not know when Zelda as a male would get her memories back, but he'd abide patiently if he had to. Abide with awkward anticipation…

"Your highness," said Link only to be cut off by a sigh from Zellandus who was shaking his head despairingly, one hand covering his face.

"Can nobody discard their sense of propriety?" he bemoaned, then declared abruptly. "Link, from herein I designate you as my personal bodyguard. Heh. Might keep those inept guards away, and get that meddling lord Kincaid off my case."

"Your highness!"

"Silence, Brula," said Zellandus, turning back to Link. "You fought with vigor, I wager you can defeat my best guards. Who better to protect me than the Hero of Legend himself?"

"I would do hardly well to serve you, your highness," said Link. "I allowed one of the assassins to get the upper hand on me. Such folly could mean your life."

"Yes, you were down, but the fight never left your control, did it?" said Zellandus, eyes sparkling. "I saw that impressive display of skillset right after I stepped in."

True, he'd taken a fall and had scooted back to gain more room for the maneuver.

"What does the position entail exactly?" asked Link.

Zellandus looked at him firmly. "That you become my shadow, my visible one that is. Your rooms shall be close to mine, you shall accompany me nearly everywhere I go, including on excursions that take me away from the castle, to court and to council meetings. Like the one the ministers will no doubt arrange for tomorrow, bright and early, as usual. Blasted larks."

It was an opportunity that he couldn't decline. By being the Prince's shadow he'd be privy to information concerning the state of Hyrule and be able to keep watch for signs of Ganondorf's uprising. Not to mention he'd be able to keep an eye on the prince as well.

"I would be honored," said Link, drawing into a bow.

Zellandus smiled and for a moment he looked so much like Sheik that Link caught his breath. He had the same crinkling around the eyes as his cheeks were raised, and with the way his hair fell in his face just so... With his blue irises he became a perfect physical mixture of both her personas, Sheik the warrior and Zelda the princess.

Link was pulled out of his daze when a knock sounded at the door. The prince drew up smartly. Brula fixed them both with a steady gaze.

"We shall continue this later. We still have pressing matters to address, and you need to get to the gala."

Zellandus coughed into his hand. "You're right. Link, I want you to accompany me. Never know when there'll be another attack."

"Of course," Link said stiffly with a slight bow accompanying it.

Brula flicked her wrist and the magical barrier dissolved. She called the attendants in and they at once set to hovering around the prince. Zellandus ushered for a few of them to attend to Link as well.

"Can't have you roaming about with a torn wardrobe. Would cause all the women to swoon."

Where Link's tunic had been cut the fabric hung open and exposed the form-fitting white shirt underneath. It hugged his torso and abdomen, clearly outlining every bump and ridge of muscle.

He saw what Zellandus meant.

For the next fifteen minutes the attendants worked to spruce him up, providing new clothes for him and a water basin to wash his face and hair, which carried smudges of dust. They offered a new pair of white gloves to replace his dirtied ones, which he traded in when their backs were turned as they fetched him oils to soften his skin. Link endured the pampering with little complaint, kingship having provided him the fortitude to deal with the invasion.

In moments he was ready and emerged from behind the screen to find Zellandus waiting for him, buttoning up his cuffs.

"All set? Come, the masses await."

They didn't encounter Brula on their way out, and for a small woman with a cane she managed to disappear rather quickly. The walk down the hallways was a quiet affair and Link felt no need to fill the silence. Once they reached the throne room a servant went to announce them.

Hitting the butt of a long black cane thrice, he called out. "His royal highness, Prince Zellandus Harkinian Hyrule!"

People's eyes drew to the pair as they stood at the threshold before the two massive gold encrusted doors that granted entrance to the throne room.

Link took a deep fortifying breath as Zellandus smiled at the guests and stood imperiously.

"This is a new battlefield we stand upon," whispered Zellandus supportively, making his way down the center. "Be careful of your words and do not take lightly what anyone has to say. Chances are they have a deeper meaning. Speak only short replies when spoken to." He cinched his brows. "Actually, best for you not to speak at all. Mayhaps we can pass you off as a mute."

Link dutifully kept pace three steps behind him, standing upright with a passive bearing. Zellandus had no need to worry. As was fast becoming his personal adage: he'd done it all before.

He carried himself with poise during the gala, following the prince around and interacting courteously with the guests. He did not notice the standoffish pair of eyes that trailed his every step, for they were one of many, nor did he realize that he had completely forgotten about the friends waiting for him back at the tavern.

* * *

><p>"I say double the guards!" called out lady Rielle.<p>

"No, it must be tripled," said lord Ivain. "It was a stroke of luck that your highness survived unharmed from the assassins. As it gets closer to the blessing ceremony there will be more attempts on your life."

"Cousins and others who wish to steal the throne," snorted lord Kincaid, leaning back in his chair. "Oh, don't look at me like that. You all know its true. The only thing is there's never enough proof to identify and directly accuse anyone."

Link suppressed a yawn as he observed the five lords and three ladies seated in ornate chairs on either side of a long mahogany table, polished so well that their faces shone from its surface. He stood tall beside and behind Prince Zellandus on the left, as the Sheikah, Brula, mirrored him on the right.

He'd seen the frowns of the ministers as Zellandus had sauntered late into the council chamber. Had heard them mutter in disapproval as the prince had virtually sprawled across the larger and more extravagant seat reserved for the ruler and head of the council, cradling a glass of wine. He'd reclined, eyes half-lidded in premeditated boredom, chin resting on the back of his hand, and one leg hitched up over the armrest.

From the council members' halfhearted words of rebuke, Link could assume that this was a common occurrence and a futile behavior to reverse. They settled down as Zellandus called to order.

Zellandus had been correct in assuming that the council would hold a meeting soon after the gala. It had been set for seven o'clock in the morning, but Zellandus had refused to leave his bed until well after eight. Brula, as acting advisor and representative of the Sheikahs, was required to attend as well and had relayed the events concerning the failed assassination attempt. She had stopped after telling them of the prisoners' disappearance and the theories behind them.

The council had set about arguing, not quite in full panic but nearly there, about suitable arrangements to be made and steps to take towards Zellandus' protection. Zellandus, for his part, ignored all that, and sat swirling his drink to bring out the aroma.

He briefly recalled Zellandus' vague descriptions of the council members. He observed them all in turn. Lady Rielle was the minister of stately affairs. Next to her seated on her right and left, respectively, were lord Ivain the minister of commerce and economy, and lady Delmont the minister of judicial affairs. At the end of the table was the thin bug of a man the minister of ceremonies, lord Kincaid.

On the opposite side of the table from closest to the head to the furthest away was Commander Shira of the Hyrulian army, also the minister of defense, lord Foulkes the minister of foreign affairs and who acted as ambassador between nations, a heavyset man known as lord Perrington the minister of provincial affairs, and lastly lord DeSange minister of intelligence.

"You are aware that this will increase taxes for the citizens," said Zellandus in a drawl-like manner. "I thought we agreed that the rate that they currently pay would be the maximum."

"Exceptions can be made in certain circumstances," said lady Rielle stiffly.

"But the citizens can't take it," defended lord Kincaid. "Winter will soon be upon us. By increasing the revenue they are left with less income with which to support themselves."

"Your highness, my soldiers will be willing to take extra shifts without payment. I can have them each volunteer two shifts a week," said Commander Shira.

"Really, commander, you can hardly spare a dozen of your soldiers," spoke Lord Perrington, clasping his hands together over his protruding belly. "You've sent most of them to patrol the fields to stave off the sudden upsurge of monsters. You've none to volunteer."

In Zellandus's description of the ministers he had stated that of all of them lord Perrington was the major cause of his aggravation. Always quick to point out flaws, always with a rebuke, always first to disapprove, and always with an inflection of mockery to his tone. Another who was the source of constant vexation was the lord DeSange, and as the name implied he seemed an iniquitous character. He was perhaps the youngest member of the council, asides from the prince, with long black hair tied at the nape and flashing orange eyes which seemed to glow. Link couldn't help but feel troubled by him. His troubled feelings were only surmounted as the lord met his gaze and sent him a sharkish grin.

Zellandus did not look pleased and Brula was quick to discreetly tap him on the arm in warning. "Perhaps you have another suggestion then? Or does my safety not reside in your conscious efforts for the kingdoms benefit?"

"With all due respect, your highness, you have the shadows at your call. Surely you've not forgotten about the Sheikah?" lord Perrington said snidely, glancing at Brula who ignored him fastidiously.

Zellandus took a sip of his drink. "They are not so prevalent in our society as you may believe. Let's just say, I use them for other matters."

"Other than for your protection?" cried lady Rielle, aghast. "Those Sheikah dogs live to protect the royal family."

"Oh, but dogs can be useful for other things too. For instance, I often have them play fetch with lawbreakers and scoundrels. They also like to play with outspoken ministers. I can call them if you wish?"

A murmur of chuckles arose from the council as lady Rielle went silent, balling her hands and turning a bright red.

"No, I've already settled the matter," said Zellandus, indicating his wine chalice towards Link. "I've already chosen a suitable bodyguard. There shall be no need to employ more guards around the castle. The numbers we have suffice as it is."

Eyes turned to him and he tensed as he was considered under their gazes.

"This man?" called lady Rielle, shocked, her embarrassment all but forgotten. "And how suitable is he? What references does he have?"

"Lady Rielle, let's not get excited now," soothed lord Ivain. "I'm certain that his highness knows what he's doing. Remember, there's a tactical mind beneath all that pomp."

"Your highness, I must protest-" started lord Kincaid, staring sternly at Link.

"If you wish, you can have him evaluated or give him a probationary period in order to assess his suitability," inserted Zellandus fluidly. "But I maintain, I may not yet be king, but I am still the regent and head of this council. I have the final say."

"I believe that his highness's decision is to suit his own cocky impulses," lord Perrington sneered. "Is this bodyguard legit, or are you really using him as a front from some self-perceived belief that you do not require the assistance?"

The room chilled as all of them felt the weight of his words. Lord Perrington waited for Zellandus' reply with a smug smile on his beefy face. It became cold as Zellandus slowly stood. His hand held his chalice abnormally still, and then turned to practically frigid as Zellandus used his chair as a foothold and stepped _onto_ the table. He walked down its length languidly, the other lords and ladies watching avidly as he stopped before lord Perrington, who sneered up at him unperturbed.

What happened next completely shocked them. Link's eyes widened as he watched Zellandus hold his chalice above the pompous lord's head and tilt it, pouring its remaining contents onto lord Perrington.

Lord DeSange burst out in laughter. Lord Perrington's face went from a befuddled shock to enraged fury all at once. His bottom lip trembled as if struggling with words that would not come out.

Zellandus did this all with a blank face and an air of nonchalance. "My. Word. Is. Law. This meeting is adjourned. Commander Shira, at your earliest convenience you shall assess Link and make certain that he holds to all the requirements of a good bodyguard."

"Y-yes, your highness."

"And my lord Perrington," said Zellandus, causing the wine-soaked lord to wince. "You're welcome to watch to affirm his suitability. All of you are welcome to. Now leave, before you're all _permanently_ dismissed."

There was a clamor as chairs were pushed back and footsteps pounded for the door, the ministers leaving at once. None attempted to argue.

The room was swiftly vacated but for Brula, the prince and Link. Zellandus released a drawn out sigh and pulled a kerchief from his sleeve to wipe his brow.

"That… was exhausting. And Link, I hope you know that my honor as a truthful man depends on you now. You'd better pass whatever test Commander Shira gives out to you."

Link nodded slowly, not completely recovered from the shocking scene. "I will do my best."

"Don't do your best. Succeed!"

Oh, he would succeed. He'd leave them gawking as well. He wanted to ask Zellandus about that little wall running trick. Maybe he could astound them with that. But he didn't feel as if they were close enough yet to properly ask him.

"This is folly what you've gotten yourself into," spat Brula. "The worst thing a ruler can do is antagonize his council. They're the ones who advise and support you. You should not seek to create a rift between you and them."

"Such _great_ advice," said Zellandus with a tint of sarcasm to his tone. "And I wasn't antagonizing… I was teaching… yes, teaching. Lord Perrington needed a lesson and I, oh so generously, taught it to him. He deserved it too."

Link could see that Brula was suppressing a smile before pursing her lips. "For Hylia's sake, get off that table."

Zellandus shrugged and hopped off, using lord Perrington's chair to carry him down. The chair tipped over and none of them bothered to right it.

* * *

><p>"That-that self-righteous brat! Who does he think he is! What insolence! That sanctimonious little swine!"<p>

"Those are words of treason, my lord Perrington," said lord Dasril Foulkes nonchalantly as he watched the other man pace back and forth, hands fisted and face puffed up in rage.

Lord Perrington rounded on him. "What we are doing is treasonous. And don't call me that! Don't say it that way! It sounds too much like that bastard of a prince!"

Dasril nodded. "Alceolus then."

Alceolus spluttered and it made Dasril think that he much preferred his title added to his name. He snarled and snapped at the only other person in the sequestered room, a hidden chamber in the lowest subterranean levels of the castle that he was sure even the king himself had not known about.

"And you! You were laughing!"

Lord Reth DeSange cast a wolfish grin, cocking his head as if in innocence. "You've cleaned up I see. You should learn when to keep your mouth shut, lest it cost you your finest doublet, or have you ordered the servants to clean it out? I wouldn't bother, you'd need magic to get rid of a wine stain."

"Then why don't you do it? Use your magic to, as you so eloquently put it, clean it out?" growled Alceolus.

Reth snorted and upturned his nose at that. "It would be a waste. It's not like you can't afford a new one. I see you at Mr. Martin's every other week getting fitted."

"You were nearly late, Alceolus. Had lord Xerthos arrived before you…" Dasril let that hang, the silence emphasizing the implications.

"Well, as it is, it appears that Vivienne will have to deal with those consequences," said Alceolus viciously.

A low voice pierced the chamber as a cloaked body manifested in the center with a swirl of black magic. "Vivienne is currently on a mission and therefore has an excuse."

Alceolus jumped with fright, while Reth and Dasril straightened.

An all-consuming presence had entered the room. Xerthos was tall and imposing, with malignant green eyes and scars crisscrossing his face. Dasril thought he might have been handsome once, and under all those scars he might still be. Life had definitely taken its toll on him. The scars, he could deal with. What repulsed Dasril the most was the broiling waves of dark magic flowing off of him, like a torrent of foulness.

When he'd first met Xerthos he hadn't known that he was a brilliant sorcerer who'd been banished from his own country. Hadn't known that he'd murdered innocent people, kidnapped them off the streets and used them in experiments and magical rituals. Hadn't known that the ultimate means of power could be found in Hyrule and that Xerthos was after it. But that was all in the past. Dasril knew better now, was more informed the deeper he played into Xerthos's plans.

They'd been soon joined by Vivienne. An exemplary sorceress of unknown origins. They found her four years ago along the Labrynnian coast causing her own chaos under an anonymous name, claiming there wasn't enough spice in her life.

Reth had come from the same academy, a fresh graduate with… sadistic, shall we say… recreational interests. It was Xerthos who'd helped him cover up the murder of the Jamel family. Payback, Reth had said. The Jamel's son had a hand in his _wonderful_ experiences as a child and Reth had offered those same experiences to the Jamel boy, with much deadlier consequences. Xerthos had liked his aggressiveness.

Lastly was Alceolus, an unintentional recruitment. He'd stumbled one day into something he should not have and had parleyed like a pirate for his life. It was his ambition that stood out to Xerthos. Alceolus had liked what he'd heard and offered to assist them, and Xerthos had allowed it simply because it gave them another foothold in the council.

It seemed suitable that they'd gathered together like this. All of them sick in their own ways, and all of them thirsting for more, whether it be power like Alceolus, or freedom to hurt and kill as he wished, like Reth.

He, though, he wanted…

"Reth, will you confirm willingly or forcefully about your part concerning last night? You sent two of the Black Corps to pay a visit to his highness," said Xerthos darkly, his deep voice foreboding.

Reth crossed his arms tensely, leaning against the cold stone wall. "I ordered them to stun, not kill. I couldn't help myself, really. Everything has become too quiet lately. I had to rile things up a bit, keep the prince on guard for a real situation."

"The prince must not die! He must attain Wisdom for our purposes to be met," spoke Xerthos, deceptively calm. "Do I make myself clear? No more of your tomfoolery, no mistakes can be made. We're close now. I want you all to make certain that nothing goes wrong at the ceremony."

"Yes, my lord." They replied all at once.

"And Vivienne, I have a new assignment for you," continued Xerthos.

Dasril exchanged a confused glance with Reth and Alceolus, then shivered as a smooth trill carried down his spine.

"Hmm hmm hmm, I do hope it bears similarity to this last one. I do so love the taste of man _flesh_."

He craned his neck to follow the voice and there he saw a pair of smiling brown eyes glinting from the faint torch glow. Vivienne dropped from the ceiling, flipping mid descent and alighting in a crouch. She stood up, sweeping her hair over her shoulders and smiling at them all darkly.

"Alceolus, hon," she said smoothly. "Is that wine I smell?"

Reth laughed aloud and Dasril couldn't help the faint smile that tugged at his lips. Alceolus blustered madly.

"Impertinent-"

"So tell me, what is this new mission?" said Vivienne, red tongue flicking over her bottom lip.

"Lord Xerthos, surely one of us can handle this mission," input Dasril all of a sudden, earning a sharp look from the scarred lord. "Vivienne already has many responsibilities placed on her shoulders while we stay here idle."

He couldn't stand being unproductive. His duties as the minister of foreign affairs only took him away from Hyrule a few times a year to settle border disputes, trade envoys etcetera, and lately the work has been lax. Not to mention that all the important dignitaries were travelling here in order to witness the ceremony. There was very little for him to do, other than to socialize and ensure that the foreigners had a pleasant visit.

Vivienne, on the other hand, was constantly abroad, and Dasril only had a vague sense of what her missions entailed.

Xerthos hissed lowly. "Because, Dasril, this assignment is for one with… certain attributes. I'm sure you'll understand."

Ah. Seduction. Rather than blushing all shades of red in mortification like other men would have been, he simply nodded and backed down.

"Patience, Dasril. It is almost time…" said Xerthos.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for everyone who reviewed: Generala, ObscurityProject, Wandom Wockets, HettyAlice, Link The Hero Of Light, Legendofzeldafan, Bluezelda868, Bloodspire, and ZeldaLover. Also thanks to everyone who put this story on their favorite and alert list.**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

Commander Shira's earliest convenience ended up being the very next day.

Link stood braced at the opposite end of a makeshift arena, a square outline inlaid with bricks where the guards would spar, listening as the commander called out the rules. All the ministers were in attendance. Byron, the Zora proxy was also there, as well as Brula and Zellandus, who watched indifferently from a raised platform.

Commander Shira herself was to be his challenger. And did she ever fight. She wasn't a small woman, but neither was she large, she was actually about his size, which evened the grounds a bit. But one thing she didn't have was the male physical structure, bodies built for combat, which gave them an inherent advantage over females. However she compensated superbly with agility and stamina and no small amount of trickery. Link could never tell when she was going to feint or actually pull through with an attack, and she spun a lot, but rather than leaving herself open, her sword swirled above her head, keeping him at bay. Link had been eager with the chance to test himself against an exalted warrior, and that eagerness had simmered into cool concentration as the duel progressed.

She revealed nothing of her next move, everything was calculated and every action she executed too quickly for him to anticipate. He could only quickly jab his sword to block at the last second. It was hard for him to elicit any attack of his own. But that only lasted until he detected a pattern.

Link back-flipped out of the way and they both stood staring at each other then slowly circled. Link had no time before she made her move, but he had predicted it. He ducked then launched into his favorite maneuver, the side-roll, bringing himself around to her dorsal side and then jumping up to slice at her unprotected back. But before his sword made contact she'd spun around swiftly swiping his blade aside and advanced in a combination of attacks that forced him to back up, treading precariously close to the edge of the ring.

Seeing an opportunity, he attempted the same maneuver, hoping that she wouldn't think he'd employ it a second time so soon after his failure. He again rolled and jumped at her back, but she saw through his ruse and instead of engaging him she leapt away, bringing herself closer to the center of the ring.

Link took action before she could and released a barrage of attacks on her. Commander Shira was good, he admitted, better than many of the men and women he'd fought with in his previous lives. But no matter how good she was he was better. They both were worn with experience, but he had lifetimes of it, and he knew the way his opponents thought, he knew the many different styles and strategies. All it took was to familiarize himself with his current adversary and he could pick out which one she was using.

The next instance they had space between them Link refocused his mind and changed his stance. Just as he knew many of the different styles of fighting, he also knew how to use many of them, and most importantly, how to counter them. Shira must have noticed the change in his eyes for she narrowed her gaze and bent lower as if she were about to wrestle a Goron.

Link waited and was rewarded when Shira lost patience and struck. From there their swords clashed but something he had not been expecting occurred. A snap and then a clang of metal echoed in his ears as his blade was cut in two. The broken end of his sword flew through the air and landed across the practice field at the foot of a dummy.

He stared at his severed blade incredulously. He'd known the steel he'd used to forge his sword had not been the best of qualities, but he hadn't considered it so bad that it would break this easily.

Shira acted upon his moment of hesitance. Unheeding of his disadvantage she tore into his defenses unyieldingly. Link was forced to defend with only half his blade remaining. He had no time to process his predicament, rather, he quickly adapted to it. He couldn't take any more risks, if he wanted to win he'd have to fight ferociously.

He ducked, feeling the whoosh of her blade as it veered over him, then slashed at her legs, tearing a hole through her leggings at her calf with the jagged end of his sword. He didn't let up and continued his strike around, catching her in the thigh before being swatted away while aiming for her heart. Commander Shira did an aerial flip backwards and held out her hand.

"I have seen enough," she stated calmly, and Link backed away, wiping the sweat from his eyes.

They were tied at two-two, himself having sustained a slash to his ribs and his liver. Link felt those places beginning to bruise. Both Link and Shira were wearing the teal blue garments that the soldiers used to train in and beneath it were black form fitting outfits that covered them from the neck, just beneath the jaw, downwards all the way to their ankles, and specialized boots made of that same material. An innovation introduced to Hyrule by a brilliant scholar and magical experimenter in the Reinhardt millennium. He called the ensemble of black suit and boots the aegis. It was good for conducting and holding magic, similar but not quite as efficient as precious stones. This is what protected them from slicing skin and breaking bones. Before a match a mage would release a spark of magic and activate the aegis suits, however that one act was not enough. The intricacies of the aegis were that it was a dual mechanism and required an additional ward of protection to work properly, which is why the mage also magically dulled their swords. They also lost their effect an hour after they were powered up. A pity really, the aegis would have been a great replacement for armour out on the battlefield. Light and supple as they were, compared to the heavy and restraining bulk of the regular battle regalia.

After the duel they were able to tally up the points and hits by referring to the tears in their teal garments. He hadn't expected her to end it without a tiebreaker.

"Your highness, might I have a word with you?" called out Commander Shira, then motioned for Link to follow her.

They entered the changing rooms normally reserved for men, but the commander had no qualms about walking in on male territory. She'd obviously done it before.

They waited for the prince to arrive and he entered the room with slow deliberation. He hesitated at the threshold, momentarily turning green, before fetching his kerchief from his sleeve and covering his nose. Bracing himself he walked in.

"What have you to say, commander? Quickly, haven't got all day, you know," said Zellandus, looking as if he was going to faint any second now from the lingering stench of blood and sweat.

"So," said Link cautiously. "What's the verdict?"

The commander stared at him, considering, her lips set in a stern line.

He hadn't done that badly, had he? If there was one thing he'd learned throughout his lives it was to never expect to meet a tough woman's expectations. Women were fickle. There were no exceptions, even among the more tomboyish ones. Best to be impartial when faced with female judgment.

This was proven true as rather than go off on a rant outlaying all of his faults and mistakes, as Link would have anticipated – if he'd not remained impartial of course. In no way did he formulate that scenario just now in his head - Commander Shira's lips spread in an enormous grin. "Pass," she exclaimed with all manner of pride. "With flying colors, I might add. I've never seen someone fight as you do. It was like pitting myself against a berserker, no, a beast. A fierce wolf. I had trouble trying to keep up with you."

_She_ had trouble? He'd been practically forced into a dance trying to parry her.

"You were doing well yourself, ma'am," said Link, but Commander Shira shook her head.

"Me, I fought using my mind, you, you used your head, yes, you easily deduced the pattern and planned a counter arrangement, but you also used something that is rarely seen in this day and age," she said, and tapped a finger to her chin. "Instinct. Even when your sword broke you kept on going, whereas most men would have called for a forfeit. That's thinking outside the box. Most would see only a broken piece of metal and think it useless, but you utilized it to your advantage. It was still a weapon in your hands."

Link quirked an eyebrow. Even a quill could be a weapon if used properly.

"I'm hardly worth the praise. I did think the match was over," said Link. "If you hadn't attacked right after, I would have set aside my sword."

"But you responded when I attacked. All the others I've tested ran off in cowardice."

"Tested?"

Her eyes glinted pale cobalt as her smile broadened. "My sword is sharp, but it can't easily slice through iron."

"Magic," Link said in realization.

She nodded. "I myself do not have the power, but there is magic stored in the jewel at the pommel of my sword. I apologize for breaking your sword. It was a fine blade. I'll see it replaced as soon as possible."

Yes, he was a bit miffed about that. It had taken him weeks to forge it. It wasn't the finest blade he'd crafted, but it was created in a way that suited its purpose, and to Link that had made it decent.

"You did that just to test me?"

"Isn't that what this whole evaluation was about? I couldn't just look at your swordsmanship skills. Any man or woman can perform the moves with enough practice. I had to see what you would do in unfavorable situations. With half your sword you could no longer thrust, and you had only half the reach. If I could I'd promote you to captain."

Link blinked at the overwhelming praise. "Commander-"

"The name's Commander Deborah Shira," she smiled, flinging out a hand to shake his. "Call me Commander Deb, or just Deb will do."

Link instantly relaxed. This was the kind of person he liked. Someone who was laid back and did not let formalities get in the way of a placid friendship, one whose respect was given when due and whom he could respect in kind.

Link smiled listlessly in return. "Commander Deb, even you should know there's more to being a captain than one's fighting skill. Achievement, group work, and leadership qualities must all come into play. That is why a soldier has to have at least two years of experience before any noteworthy promotions are given."

Her eyes glinted and Link assumed that he had passed another one of her tests. "Right you are. Quite savvy, are you? You hail from Heron Falls? Were you looking to the military as a future career option?"

"It has crossed my mind," said Link truthfully. A time or two he had imagined himself joining one of the patrol fractions of the Hylian army and roaming around the land vanquishing monsters. It had always been a huge deal of excitement for him whenever one of the patrols stopped by their village. That was until his work as an apprentice took his time away from his imaginings. And then recently as his memories had returned he'd been singularly focused on one overall goal.

"Becoming a bodyguard seems just right for you," continued Deb, pulling Link out of his thoughts. "As long as you enact patience and keep well alert. The prince won't constantly be bombarded with assassins, and when they do come it will be when you least expect it, at a moment's notice."

Link nodded. "I assure you, while he is under my watch none shall touch him."

"Bold words," Deb muttered lowly. "I shall hold you to it." She stepped close and clapped his shoulder, her demeanor lightening. "If you ever do tire of babysitting, I'll have you know that I count your time as bodyguard as time in the military. That promotion of yours won't be long in coming."

Link smiled at the offer, even though it held little appeal to him. Zellandus coughed, abruptly stealing their gazes and bringing to attention how uncomfortable he was in their current location. If they didn't get him out soon there'd be no prince left for him to guard. He was practically suffocating himself behind his kerchief.

"Can we go now? I know this lovely aroma may appeal to you, but it's near putting me out!" urged Zellandus, his voice muffled behind the cloth.

It occurred to Link that he had yet to hear Zellandus' opinion in regards to his performance. Probably didn't want to waste precious breath inhaling fetid air.

Zellandus heaved a huge gulp of air once they exited, clutching his stomach and gasping as if he hadn't breathed in weeks. He looked sickened then quickly composed himself, straightening out and pointedly looking away from the change rooms as if the mere sight of them would cause him to hurl.

"This… is why I never joined the military," he said, striding away quickly.

It was not uncommon that once in a while a young prince - or princess even, although that was a rare likelihood - would sign up for military service and have a rank added to their title. However, Zellandus seemed more the type to enlist a private tutor to teach him the ways of the sword. No doubt he had another that taught him war tactics as well.

Numerous times at Zelda's insistence he'd signed up and had to work his way up the ladder into ranks befitting a king. But he'd never liked it. It seemed Zelda wanted him to do it so he could prove himself to the nobility and gain their respect with achievement. It had never made any difference, and the experience was less than enjoyable. He had never liked sharing a barracks. He much preferred his own quarters, private and alone, with no one on the next bunk keeping him awake with their snoring, no quiet murmuring during the night as some of the men talked, and no eyes to see him changing into his uniform.

Despite all the undesirable aspects, one thing that made him proud to be in the military was the camaraderie among the soldiers. Men who'd take an arrow for a friend, who bonded with and wed the female soldiers before going off creating their own little soldier families, those that could be depended on to watch his back. That had always been invaluable.

But it was not enough to entice him to enlist once more. He was predominantly a lone wolf. He had his fill of military life.

They passed the stands and the prince stopped and stood sharply, gazing up at the rest of their audience.

"Commander Shira has declared her approval of my new bodyguard. Does this please you lord Perrington?"

Said lord made not a sound, but Link could see his bottom lip quivering and face purpling with indignation. Lady Rielle was gazing down at him with a firm eye while Byron, lord Ivain and lord DeSange practically beamed at him. Lord DeSange actually had a rather crude smile on, to which Link narrowed his eyes. Lord Foulkes and lady Delmont were the only two to express no emotions whatsoever. Link couldn't read their thoughts on his success but it seemed that they simply didn't care one way or the other.

He allowed a small smirk and gave a hearty wave at the stewing lord Perrington before following the prince off the practice field.

He caught sight of lord Perrington encroaching Commander Deb and start hissing words at her. She remained fastidious and unamused as she listened and spoke back. Link could guess that the topic of their heated discussion was him. Lord Perrington was probably vehemently objecting her decision.

"Your highness!" Lord Kincaid came running towards them, his stick bug form towering above them so that Link had to angle his head upwards, much to his chagrin.

"You see, Kincaid, Link is a competent man. I knew so all along. Your worries are unfounded," said Zellandus conspicuously gleeful.

Lord Kincaid still eyed him peevishly. "His trustworthiness is more my concern," he muttered quietly.

Link was fine with that. He was glad to some degree that someone had enough sense to question his validity. Brula and Zellandus were excused because of their knowledge of his status, but many of the others seemed to welcome him almost too readily. As for lord Perrington, he most definitely was not welcoming but his mistrust of him stemmed from shear dislike, a prejudice formed at first impression.

Lord Kincaid turned back to Zellandus. "Your highness, many of the guests are anxious to see you, Duke Valdric wishes to go over the plans for the new trade route while he's here, and the ambassador of Labrynna desires to review the treaties, which does not bode well. There has been trouble going on at the border and she seems to think it stems from Hyrule."

Zellandus interrupted lord Kincaid with a yawn. "Really now. There's always something going on that she has to blame on us. And the border is right on moblin soil, how could there not be trouble."

Zellandus abruptly changed the subject. Link looked at Zellandus curiously but decided to ask questions later. Whatever problems they were having with Labrynna seemed to really bother Zellandus.

* * *

><p>Half an hour later saw Link about to attend court, adorned with a newly acquired sword, complements of Commander Deb, once again shadowing the prince as they greeted each and every distinctive political figure from Termina to Labrynna. He had to politely smile to each and grit his teeth as he was mostly ignored or stared at as if he were a peculiar specimen in a menagerie.<p>

Needless to say, he was more popular with the young ladies, who sought him out rapturously like the vicious predators that they were. Not to generalize women, as there were quite a few timid ones hanging back with only people they were familiar with, and some of the ladies were simply uninterested, or were joviantly curious and naught else, but the majority it seemed were rampant huntresses. The most prime target was Zellandus but a few words from his mouth and a blatant yawn at their babbling segued them to him.

He'd been described in previous lives as silent and gentle, morose and mysterious, and for some reason the present ladies easily picked up on that as if his reputation had carried on unknowingly to this life.

They practically crowded him, which unnerved him as it was becoming more and more difficult to keep his awareness on the person he was supposed to be protecting. Prince Zellandus, for his part, noticed his silent distress, cast him a smirk – a rather sadistic one if you asked him - and carried on pretending to listen to a boring diplomat from Holodrum.

"_You don't have to tail me the entirety of the time. I doubt any assassin would make an attempt so soon and in such a crowded environment. Go enjoy yourself."_

That's what the prince had said, but Link failed to obey that little order for he was not at all enjoying himself. Court life could be so tedious at times, he reflected as he looked on at the babbling women all vying for his attention.

He would have liked to stick close to Zellandus to learn more about this border issue. Moblins connected directly to Ganondorf. He had no doubt that the vile man couldn't be too far.

Link, ever the polite and gentle soul that he was, could not easily brush them off as Zellandus rudely did. It had long been ingrained in him that blunt dismissal was not appropriate conduct among social gatherings. One had to use tact and feign interest at the least.

Curse Zelda and all her etiquette lessons.

He hadn't noticed that he'd been glaring at Zellandus' back until one of the ladies appropriated his attention.

"What on earth compelled you to acquire earrings," said the woman, hovering behind a pink lace fan. "They look positively ghastly."

_Your choice in wardrobe looks positively ghastly._

It was too bad propriety prevented him from voicing those thoughts aloud. At least when Zelda was here – or at least when she was a girl – she set the standards high. As it were, his eyes were crudely met with numerous gowns of frills and bows and heavy dangling ornaments, it was a wonder the fabrics did not tear from the weight. Also plastered on their faces were copious amounts of maquillage. A peculiar style he'd noticed at the gala and at present were their tendency to wear heavy amounts of colored powder ranging from faded pinks to deep violet that were painted along their eyelids and further extended above and beyond the eyes to the sides of their faces, done in feathery strokes giving them a semi masked appearance. It didn't look awful, per se, it was just that Link was not used to such… artistic design.

"How so?" he gave her little regard but opted to listen anyways. From her tone he knew the woman meant no offense, merely an observation.

"Indeed, Lavinia, how so?" another woman, wearing a pale blue ruffled dress with white lace at her bodice and sleeves, asked. Her eyelids were colored in various degrees of greys and blues, as she looked up at him. "I think they're positively charming."

A man scoffed. "Charming? In what way, may I ask? A man decorating his ears with such gaudy ornaments is nothing short of obscene. The gall of it. Adding feminity to his features. It disgraces the women he wishes to copy, not to mention disgraces his own masculinity."

As many of the women flocked to him so did the men who sought their attentions. The men were reluctant and displeased that the women had chosen Link as their current centerpiece, having long bored of the traditional noblemen. Link with his rugged looks and mysterious bearing was far more exciting a subject.

Link was silent and wary, and to those unfazed women the more silent he was the more intrigued they became. Again he wished he had Zellandus' ability to thwart their attentions, but alas, his nature would not allow flagrant disregard.

"On the contrary," said yet another woman, whose name he had not bothered to recall. "They enhance his masculinity. Does he not look the roguish sort?"

A few of the group chuckled humorously. "Oh, Amy," said the nobleman. "Who are you to judge the concept of masculinity when you yourself are addled to your own feminity."

"Yes, a tomboy like you would have no inclination of what is appropriate for either gender," said another man.

Zelda had once been a tomboy. That was, each time before she had bloomed into the beautiful and elegant flower that she was. As a child she had been carefree enough to disregard any social standards.

He didn't like the men's mocking tones as the woman suddenly lowered her eyes, embarrassed.

"Actually," spoke Link at once garnering their attention. He paused. Even now he hated being in the spotlight, but there was nothing for it but to press on. "They are my proof of right to manhood." He leered then and scoped out their expressions. "I see here fine women, and I see little boys. Why, in my hometown you'd be denied access to any of the local pubs."

The women giggled, both flattered and amused, while many of the men bristled. Amy cast him a grateful shy smile.

"A barbaric ritual," scoffed the man, his nose wrinkled.

"A defensive statement to one who knows he wouldn't be able to handle more than a paper cut," Link countered effortlessly to another round of giggles.

A hero he might be but he did so enjoy antagonizing at the most opportune moments. He was hardly a hero then. He just couldn't resist throwing out the barbs, especially when they were just asking for it, leaving themselves open like that, just as this nondescript lord was doing.

"Intriguing," said Zellandus, causing more than one lord and lady to jump and spin around. Standing at the back of the crowd, Zellandus strolled over to Link and everyone in his way parted for him. He was accompanied, as always, by lord Kincaid and several other important persons. The Zora proxy was also there and nodded at Link in polite greeting.

"I haven't really thought about them at first but they do add a remarkable zest to your appearance."

At this, attitudes inversed and the men leaned forward no longer looking with harsh scrutiny but with keen interest. The one who had previously spoken out still eyed them with disdain.

He wouldn't be surprised if he'd started a trend. If there was one thing everybody of the noble class were fixated on it was fashion, and the prince set the mode. If the prince decided to pierce his ears there would no doubt be a massive increase in sales for the jewelers in the country. And it looked as if he would do it too with his all too interested gleam.

Lord Kincaid spluttered outrageously. "Your highness! You can't possibly be remotely considering-"

"Quiet, you," said Zellandus, causing the lord's mouth to instantly snap shut. He stretched, his arms rose in a very informal like gesture for the setting. Many of the women's fans started to increase the rate of their fluttering, and lord Kincaid only spluttered further.

"And Link! What sort of bodyguard are you? Hitting it off with the ladies and leaving me defenseless. You're supposed to remain at my side."

Link scowled. _As if you hadn't told me to basically get lost from the onset._

With a polite bow to the women, to a chorus of many giggles and fluttering fans, he followed Zellandus. The prince as he ploughed through the throng, barely bothering to even cast a bored glance at those who attempted to stop and speak with him.

"Come on, I need some air," said Zellandus.

They ended up on an isolated balcony overlooking Castle Town and Zellandus proceeded to lean on the railing and heave a great tired sigh.

"Well aren't you the ladies man," Zellandus cast him a sly grin.

Link strode out to look over the balcony feeling irritated. "Have you brought us out here to talk about women?"

"Oh no, as I said, I just needed some clean air. It can be stifling in there, you know. All those bodies, people trying to get as close to you as possible, and all that pestering. Would be nice to be a lower class lord sometimes. My royal status is the only thing that draws them in, you see."

All of a sudden Zellandus looked a bit forlorn. Was Zellandus… jealous? Of him maybe? Of all the other men in the room?

Link hesitated then deigned to ask. "Do you resent your status?"

The prince chuckled darkly and shrugged. "Would you believe me if I said that I never wanted to become king?"

Link blinked. Zellandus at first appeared to him as a spoiled and frilly brat, and what sort of brat didn't want the power to boss everyone around – and that meant absolutely everyone. Hyrule's rule was practically autocratic. Zellandus could randomly toss a passerby in the dungeon if he wanted with little to no consequence. It was only because of the Harkinian's righteous nature that only a few of them became all out tyrants.

"Do you think I'd make a good king? Wisdom is the embodiment of Hyrule's royalty, yet I feel none of that. The decisions I make would be costly, I would be questioned at every turn."

"Surely you over-exaggerate." Link did not at all like the somber turn in Zellandus' attitude. He proved himself more and more a direct opposite of his love. He feared responsibility, while Zelda had bore it proudly. For obvious reasons he couldn't comfort him as he would have Zelda.

Zellandus was quiet for a moment before he spoke. "You know, I trust you. Perhaps it's that you are the Hero of Legend, but by the Goddesses, I can't help but trust you. It's funny because Brula had always discouraged me from making connections so easily. Especially with young females. You saw them in there? Manipulative temptresses. Would try to flatter you and string you round their fingers then have you do all sorts of things for them and before you know it you're in too deep and can't get out lest you activate the water works."

Link rolled his eyes as Zellandus went off tangent. For some reason he felt warmth at his admittance to trusting him. Could this be the Zelda within him shining through? His heartbeat quickened as he ovserved Zellandus' profile as the prince's hooded eyes looked over his kingdom. Eyes, so much like Zelda's…

Zellandus blinked then peered up at him and Link snapped out of it. He'd been dangerously close to thinking ignoble thoughts. How could he even consider that about... about a man!? Zelda was a man now, it couldn't happen! Nothing could happen! His heart tore at that thought. So long he'd went without her and now that she was so near they couldn't be together. At least not as he wished.

"To be king is a great honor," said Zellandus, his tone a soothing calmness that reminded him so much of Sheik. "To be King of Hyrule is to _become_ Hyrule. You represent your country and see to it that it prospers and that it is kept on track with the law. Each king and queen is a representative of sorts, an ambassador to stand before the Goddesses in times of judgment. You reflect your people, the Goddesses will see your image and see your country in you. That sort of person feels too great for me."

Link felt guilty all of a sudden. He'd been king so many times yet he'd only seen the burdens in taking on that role. Zellandus made him realize that it was far more important than a mere position of authority.

"It is funny, but whenever I look at the throne it feels too big for me… as if… it was meant for someone greater than I."

Oh, Zelda…

Link reached his hand forward and hesitated. He steeled himself and rather than cupping the prince's face, he placed it on Zellandus' shoulder.

"That you think yourself unworthy already makes you worthy for kingship."

He tried to place all the confidence and respect he felt towards the prince in his words, but for some reason it felt as if he hadn't conveyed that well enough. Zellandus though looked brightened because of it.

"Humility? I suppose that is always an outstanding quality in a king," he said, standing up and combing his fingers through his wayward hair. "Never thought that it would be associated with me. That it _could_ be, rather."

Link was heartened to see Zellandus not so downcast anymore. A few days and the sight of a dismal Zellandus had become such an odd one to him compared to his regular flamboyant demeanor.

Much cheerier, Zellandus threw an arm over Link's shoulder's. "Ever thought of becoming a shrink? You'd do marvels for all those suicidal types. King Rodrigue, for instance, could use someone like you. Found out the queen regnant, his mother that is, or was, before she died, had had multiple affairs during her marriage and his heritage was brought to question. A stressful affair, he's going through hard times right now, that's for sure. Not that it would matter who his true father is, his mother was still the queen and that won't affect any right he has to the throne. People are thinking that her Consort somehow lacked virility and that the queen had to look elsewhere for satisfaction and all that. Personally I believe that she was just a player and -"

The prince went on in a massive oration that Link was hard pressed to listen to.

It had only taken one sentence to pull Zellandus out of his moroseness, how did that qualify him as a shrink?

Link followed as Zellandus drawled on and on all the way back to court where he greeted his guests and fellow Hylians with more enthusiasm than he'd shown all day.

* * *

><p>Link leaned against a wall and watched as various young noblemen and a few noblewomen stretched and practiced shadow fighting with their rapiers or broadswords. It was late afternoon and they'd all gathered outside for a bit of exercise. The nobility had hastily changed into more sportish attire similar to what he'd been wearing earlier but much more unnecessarily fancy, and gathered in a section of the practice grounds reserved only for those of higher class. The nobles who were not participating were watching from the sidelines, with many women hovering close to Zellandus' corner, observing as he did a neat flick of the sword, loosening up his wrist. Although the movement was a simple wrist rotation, it caused the sword to swerve in a way that they found most impressive and many of the ladies gasped in awe.<p>

Link unknowingly glared at them.

"He's quite good, is he not?"

Link regarded Byron then gazed back at his current muse. It wasn't difficult to think of Zellandus as male, considering Zelda's Sheik persona… but he was just so… not like Zelda it was hard to tell.

Beside him, the Zora continued on. "This is the only time the prince is ever willingly social with his subjects. Many fear that marriage is an impossible feat for him."

He very near shuddered at that word. He did not like the possibility of Zellandus marrying. The very idea was disturbing, and the notion that the idea disturbed him also greatly disturbed him.

Pretending that Zellandus was Sheik and could turn back into a fully _female_ Zelda at any time was one thing, but knowing that Zellandus was full male, was possibly Zelda, and that if he were Zelda he'd still yearn for her… whatever body she took…

That was convoluted. His thoughts were mushing around in his head. He desperately desired Zelda, but for right now, until he learned the truth, he had to remember that Zelda and Zellandus were separate entities. He had to stop rolling them into one.

"I heard you fought him yourself," said the Zora.

Link finally gave him his full attention and noted the serious firmness in the Zora's eyes. The Zora was fishing for answers. None other than the council had been informed of what happened the other night due to not wanting a full-scale panic or to look bad before the foreigners. But certainly the Zoras had a right to know.

Byron already suspected something might be afoot. It was clear to Link that he hadn't bought the story that the rest of the nobles had been fed. But then again, the Zora people were more in the know what with the hero arising.

He shook his head as a servant came by bearing a tray filled with hors d'oeuvres and the servant merely moved to the next guest.

Link leaned close to whisper. "Yes, I did. But then we were interrupted by two strange individuals who attacked the prince. Assassins, wearing dark cloaks and masks that resembled keatons. They were restrained, but as they were being led away they seemingly died."

"Seemingly died?" mused the Zora, just as quietly, having no clue what Link meant by that.

"Like a monster, turned into smoke with no bodies remaining."

The Zora shot a look at him suddenly. "Monsters got into the castle?"

"No, they were human."

"Human…" said the Zora. "But the only time I'd ever heard of a death like that in a human…"

"Yes?"

The Zora couldn't continue over the tumult of noise as the first pair of men went up to spar. It wasn't a tourney or any sort of competition, just practice with spectators.

As the noise died down and clangs replaced the air with their steely rings, Link and the Zora pretended to watch with interest.

"Perhaps they'd been summoned?"

"No, I'd have felt the magic, and you would have as well."

Byron stood quiet. "This is something that I need to discuss with the queen. And the priestess. Definitely the priestess. She'll know what it is."

"You believe this is something deeper?"

Byron smiled softly, very Zora like. "Everything concerning yourself is considered deep. Trouble, that is. This attack doesn't coincide with your return for nothing. I'm certain of it. People don't just die a monster's death. I have no doubt that this is the work of our elusive adversary. It is unlikely to be a run-of-the-mill assassination attempt."

The two abruptly stopped chatting as Zellandus approached, waving off a hoard of female attention and nearly careening into a servant.

"Care for a friendly spar, Link?" asked the prince, and he must have seen the apprehension in Link's eyes as he smiled. "I assure you, it won't be a repeat of what occurred in the bedroom. I don't normally play dirty."

Byron released a muffled snort. "In the bedroom? Play dirty?"

Link ground his teeth. Was it a commonality of Zoras to think this perversely? Spar could easily be seen as a code word in that context. What sort of repulsive thoughts did the Zoras entertain these days? The Zoras he had known had been more serious with little no to humorous bones in them.

Zellandus only smiled and laughed. "Yes, there was one move I pulled that was completely nasty. Link did not enjoy it all too much. Sent him to his back, it did. He didn't care for that position."

"Oh Goddesses!" Byron near howled with laughter.

Link however was not remotely amused.

"Yes yes, very funny," he glared at the prince. Any and all feelings of guilt and pity he'd felt for Zellandus had all but vanished. "I should have known you'd understand that repulsive mindset."

"That devilish queen's been rubbing off on you, I see," said Zellandus to Byron after a good round of laughter. "In all seriousness, I hadn't fought quite… ah… fairly. That was a cheep shot I took. Is your stomach alright?"

"Yes, it's fine. And I did not end up on my back," said Link, now watching as another pair went up to duel. A brave young soul facing off against Commander Deb. He pitied that man. Ah well.

Zellandus and Byron were both watching as well, Zellandus sporting a frown on his face. "Tch. Fool's trying to show off again. Will he never learn?"

"Who?" asked Byron.

Zellandus indicated with his chin. "The idiot facing off against Deb. Lord James Farlow. Never liked the man. Cocky, a show off, and with a very poor sense of fashion. I mean, did you _see_ him at the gala? Perhaps not. I had been too busy trying to avoid him and I hadn't pointed him out to you. But Goddesses, that coat! It was like he belonged in some old age horror novel. Too much black and red, not at all presenting the bright type of Hylian atmosphere for our guests."

"Ah, a rival of yours?" said Link, recognizing the tint of disdain in the prince's voice.

The prince shrugged. "You can say that. In that case, we've been rivals since infancy and no doubt our parents had been rivals before that, such is our hate for house Farlow."

So it was personal.

They watched the spar progress as James easily went into the offense, smiling as he bombarded the commander with attacks. Deb continuously backed up, seemingly struggling to keep up. Very deceptive of her. All of a sudden, just as James was savoring his imminent victory, Deb changed her tune and did not just turn the tables, she flipped them. Within seconds the duel was over and James stood with the point of a sword at his throat, suffering a humiliating defeat.

He stomped off the arena and joined another nobleman standing off to the side.

"That there with him is lord Wist Perth," said Zellandus, before he became silent as he thought deeply about something. "You know… It eludes me, but for some reason I've never much liked him either. I haven't the faintest idea why. He always was a decent sort."

Deb bowed to an applauding crowd and stepped off the arena. Suddenly someone shouted for Zellandus.

"Have a turn, your highness! We are anxious to watch you perform."

Others took on the shout and encouraged Zellandus to go next. Zellandus looked at Link questioningly, and Link shrugged with a grin.

"Why not? This way I can see how good you are without cheating."

"Cheating!" cried out Zellandus. "I'm the prince! I've been trained that all things go in a life or death situation. Have to preserve myself, can't have some ruddy relatives staining the direct line of royals."

Link furrowed his brows. Did he not know that the direct line was already gone? That he was the progeny of an offspring born of one of Zelda's cousins? If only she hadn't died. If only…

"I'll show you," shot Zellandus. "I can defeat you in a fair fight."

"You wish," replied Link.

They were standing now in the arena. A mage came up and cast the protection magic on their swords then on the aegis suits they wore underneath their clothing. Link took a stance, going through the memory of his previous battle against the prince. The watching nobles became silent. Zellandus may be rude, but he was their prince, and none could deny his fighting skills.

A shadow fell over him.

Commander Deb smiled at them from right beside them. "I'll be refereeing. Ready… and fight!"

She stepped back over to where lady Delmont and lord Ivain were observing as Link and Zellandus circled one another.

This was different. This was not a fight done in the dark with intentions to harm, or in Link's case, defend. It was a playful spar that hardly meant anything in the long run. Link was hit with a sharp wave of nostalgia. He'd sparred against Sheik the same way when he'd been practicing for the final encounter with Ganondorf. Those were the last times he'd ever gone against Zelda in that life, she had never seemed to have the time for it afterwards.

He eyed Zellandus, his mind forming a picture. Just give him some more blue, a tabard, and multiple white bandages and he'd be an exact replica, bar the genetic changes like his eyes and skin color.

When Link went in for the dive it was with full force. Zellandus boasted that he was good with the sword, well he'd make him prove it. It would be a comfort. If something did happen to him, at least Zellandus would be able to handle himself.

Zellandus twisted to the side and aimed a thrust at Link's back, which he swiftly ducked under and seemed to watch in slow motion as the sheen of silver metal flew over his head.

As they fought their attacks became more ferocious. The nobles were chanting their names, cheering and calling out unheeded advice. Link blocked them all out, he didn't even hear a cluster of women cheering out his own name, all he could see was Zellandus and his sword bearing down on him, and all he could hear were the deep breaths they took and the swish of the blades.

He made his second contact against Zellandus' ribs and it would have punctured a lung without the aegis and the magical protection. Zellandus darted back, more cautious. Link only needed one more cut to win and Zellandus hadn't yet made a mark upon him.

But Zellandus was not quite done yet. Just like their last fight, the prince surprised him by doing something fancy and that ignited just a tinge of jealousy in him. He did a butterfly kick then a straight kick upwards that had him doing the splits. Impressive for a man. Link's eyes widened and his sword was knocked out of his grasp and sent flying.

Zellandus smirked.

In retaliation Link quickly stepped out of the way of an incoming thrust then grabbed Zellandus' sword arm. Now that he had two free hands he could do this move. He bent the prince's arm at the elbow and twisted his wrist and in shock, Zellandus let go of his sword. Link then flipped him over his back, sending Zellandus to the floor. He was about to retrieve Zellandus' sword when his feet were pulled from under him and a hard body pushed down on him.

Link wrestled with Zellandus, trying to gain the upper hand. This was where his smaller frame became a downfall. Zellandus had more power and longer limbs with which to pin him down. But Link could deal. He'd wrestled with bigger.

He wriggled his arms free of Zellandus' hold and pushed them over. As they rolled he became conscious of Zellandus' discarded weapon. He snatched it off the ground mid motion and as he pulled up on top he pressed it to the prince's neck, effectively ending the duel.

Zellandus gazed bewildered, his eyes widely taking in the sword then darting to Link.

Link breathed harshly, his eyes boring into Zellandus'. It was then he realized their position… so suggestive… so close…

"Winner is Link!"

Deb's voice and the numerous cheers that followed snapped him out of his daze and Link hastily backed off. Zellandus pushed himself up and patted down his front.

"Well, can't complain for a fair fight," said Zellandus, and Link had almost expected him to throw a tantrum for losing. "We'll see about next time though. I'll be the stronger man then."

Link didn't have an answer for him. He was too mortified, too ashamed to form coherent thoughts.

Slowly they walked off the arena to allow the next set of duelists to spar.

Thankfully a new voice entered his awareness and cleared his consciousness.

"Well now, that sure was entertaining. It's not everyday one witnesses our great prince being beaten into the ground."

Beside him Zellandus tensed as he turned to face the newcomer. "Good afternoon James... Wist."

The two noblemen bowed in greeting, one pleasantly, the other more stiffly.

"Good afternoon, your highness," said Wist, smiling.

James eyed Link. "So this is your new bodyguard? Could use a bit of practice. What sort of bodyguard loses his sword in the middle of a duel? Could barely hold your own out there. I could have had you out within seconds."

"Would you like to test that?" said Link suddenly anxious for a fight. It might help push out these thoughts he'd been having.

James shook his head. "Unfortunately I cannot. I twisted my wrist wrong whilst dueling with the commander. Maybe someday you'll be good enough to face her."

Link knowingly smirked. "Yes, maybe someday."

James seemed shocked that Link so readily agreed with him, and coughed to compose himself. "Well then -"

"James!" a woman's voice carried over and Link looked up to see Amy approaching at a jog.

Of all the people he'd met at court that day, hers was the only name he remembered. She was the tomboy. Link could see that now. She was dressed for sparring, and instead of the bright and decorated colors the other women wore, she donned a dull and plain pair of breeches and a loose tunic. Her hair was done up in a simple tail and all traces of makeup were gone.

"James," she said again. "Did you not say that you'd watch me duel against Nadine? You're supposed to give me pointers."

"Ah, yes, I did say that," said James, standing taller. "Lead the way then, Amy. Good day, your highness."

Amy sent them a smile as she left with Wist and James, who entered a loud monologue about techniques and tips.

Zellandus sighed. It seemed that half his day consisted of long dreary sighing. "That Amy. She's not really interested in what James has to say. She always arrives at the precise right moment to pull James away whenever he is around me. Seems to think that I'll dismember him or something. Ridiculous. Dismemberment is utterly repulsive and crude, not to mention messy."

_Yet he'd been ready enough to dismember me the other night, _thought Link.

"You see, some people, like say… oh, James for instance… become jealous of what they don't have and of what others can do that they cannot, so they irrationally target them and try to make life as miserable for that person as possible. A silly thing to do, really. Instead of looking to their own lives and focusing on what they can do and what they do have, they waste their time on others. I can't stand it, really."

"So you believe that James is jealous of you," said Byron.

Zellandus scoffed. "Of course he is. Who in their right mind isn't? However instead of expressing it as well-founded awe, he has to go off and make a nuisance of himself. It's always completely unprovoked, he simply wishes that he was the prince instead of me. That's the only way anyone would ever pay any attention to him."

Link saw the spark in his eyes as he spoke. The hidden frustration and admired Zellandus' ability to push that aside and be civil.

He stared long and the clanging of sword meeting sword drew his eyes away.

Zellandus and Zelda were not the same. Even if it was her soul in that body, Zellandus was still a male, he couldn't act as if it were otherwise. From now on he couldn't associate one with the other, else he was afraid he might do something foolish.

But how could he separate them when he saw her whenever he looked into Zellandus' eyes?

_Goddesses help me. Goddesses send me Zelda._

His silent wish went unheard as the seconds ticked by and nothing happened. He sneered. _Well, thank be the Goddesses._

* * *

><p>From the cloisters of a window high up in the castle, Dasril surveyed the nobles as they enjoyed their afternoon. He, as with many, had elected not to attend the event meant for their amusement. He'd never been one for friendly sparring. Oh, he could handle a blade all right, it is just when he fought he hated holding back and his point would always find its mark.<p>

He easily picked out the prince's figure, dressed in white, red and gold. Even for simple training gear no expenses have been spared.

His thoughts turned to the meeting with his master, Xerthos. Vivienne had quickly been sent on whatever new mission she'd been assigned, he could only guess that it was some sort of persuasion then assassination attempt. Reth and Alceolus were below, not partaking in the sparring, but watching and interacting with the other lords and ladies.

He frowned. He was once again stuck with nothing to do. Xerthos had no need of him yet and he was fast growing restless.

He needed to do something. He had to move.

He whirled around, cape billowing out behind him as he strode through the halls, heading towards his chambers. If he would be useless then he was going to be useless somewhere he liked better than here.

He silently slipped into his room and turned the key in the door before pocketing it. He headed towards his bureau where was displayed countless items, trinkets and artifacts that were his or 'borrowed' from someone else. The servants didn't dare lay a hand on any of them, since he'd told them that some of them contained curses that he was working to lift.

His fingers touched directly on a small sphere balancing on a metal holder, or rather, not balancing, but hovering over it and spinning slowly. It was reminiscent of a globe, but it was much more than that. Not even Reth the sorcerer was aware of all of its valuable properties, to him it was just a decoration with a magical flair. Trivial and pointless, he'd call them had he known, but Dasril found that as trivial as they were, if used properly they were most helpful.

He caressed an empowered finger down the side, the trail marked a diagonal line as the sphere spun. And then it cracked open, displaying a shining green center like some sort of floating blob of water.

It shone brighter as he touched it and at once he was engulfed. Moments later the room was empty and the sphere closed and locked, once more spinning and hovering over its stand.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Lots of inner conflict here with Link. How would he feel if Zellandus were Zelda? What sort of emotions would he be faced with, and how would he consider the situation? I never meant to go this far with it. Poor guy. I do pity him.**

**Personally I'm not all too fond of yaoi. This is here because of Link's previously stated conflicting emotions. He's attracted to Zelda, to him Zellandus is similar to Zelda, he's still not sure if he is Zelda though, but he's starting to see him as her. So yeah, no real yaoi here, just some funny maybe or what if scenes.**

**As always reviews are appreciated and loved!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you everyone for reviewing: Flik98, bluezelda868, Guest (mar 31), ObscurityProject, Death Waltz, Generala, Bloodspire, and PrincessPeach!**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

The first thing lord Dasril Foulkes did as he touched down in the lounge of his manor was pour himself a generous glass of Zoran whiskey. He downed that drink quickly and immediately helped himself to another, this time pacing himself as he drank in measured sips. His magic was bristling inside of him and if he did not in some way let it out then he'd go mad.

Taking his glass of whiskey with him, he wandered down the hall heading for the backyard.

Normally when someone mentioned the word backyard one would think of a small green space at the rear of the house with a fine white picket fence, a garden off to the side. Maybe it would have a stone path bordered with beds of flowers and a few trees or bushes. Dasril's backyard at Foulkes Manor consisted of seventy acres of woodland, all surrounded by a twenty-foot wall perimeter because his ancestors had been stringent that way.

The manor itself was three stories high plus a wine cellar, with hundreds of rooms each gilded in gold and enriched fineries. Portraits and tapestries hung on the walls, as well as countless mirrors. If there was one thing his ancestors had been known for it was their pride and vanity. There was at least one full sized mirror in every room and in various locations, all the better to admire oneself at every angle.

Dasril wouldn't deny that he had inherited their vanity, he was just as vain as the rest of them had been to the point where he was almost obsessive with his looks, keeping himself kept and clean and most of all presentable. He was on top of the current fashion and often integrated foreign styles into his wardrobe that fast caught on among the nobility and increased productivity and trade with other nations. But contrary to the previous Foulkes, he didn't mind getting messy at times. Actually he thought he looked rather robust after a good work out, practicing with his sword or magic.

But for all its splendor, not even a fourth of the rooms in the manor were used. Most were either been boarded up or locked. Dasril liked his privacy, which was why as soon as his mother had passed on he'd lowered the staff count to the minimum capacity for the manor's upkeep and no longer entertained guests. He could not afford to have anyone nosing around in his home. Not with what he was involved with.

"My lord, you've returned!"

He chugged the last of his whiskey as his butler and chief of staff, an aging man named Jeffrey, bustled up to him as fast as his creaking bones could carry him.

"Apparently so," he muttered, gazing frustrated into his empty glass before holding it out for Jeffrey to take.

Jeffrey took the glass silently. "Is everything alright my lord?"

His pointed ears twitched. "That all depends." Dasril then became hopeful. "Has she returned?"

With some hesitance, Jeffrey replied. "No, not yet."

"Have you had word of her?"

Jeffrey shook his head. "Not since her letter last week saying that she was going to be delayed."

He remembered that letter. She had found a new lead and didn't know where it would take her or how long she'd be gone. She'd told him not to worry and that she'd see him sometime by the end of the month unless she sent another letter telling him otherwise. As always he'd kept her letter in a wooden box with the rest.

The thought irked him. It was nearing the end of the month, and although it might be a tad bit early he had been hoping to see her before she ventured off to follow another trail.

"Keep me informed and notify me the instant she returns, no matter if I'm at Hyrule Castle or not," he said seriously, to which Jeffrey replied with a hasty 'yes my lord'.

Jeffrey walked with him as he continued on down the hall. "I'll be in the woods. Be sure that everyone stay's away." He opened the double grand doors that led to the outside and inhaled the fragrant fresh mountain air of Snowpeak. It had begun to snow, small flakes floating nimbly from the sky. A blanket of frozen water carpeted the ground in brilliant whiteness and his boots crunched on his first step.

"Shall I take your cape, my lord?" Jeffrey asked.

Dasril thought about it then decided to keep it with him. He quite liked the feel of it billowing about as he exercised. It made him feel more formidable.

"No thank you, Jeffrey. But be prepared for me when I return."

"Certainly, my lord."

Dasril exited the manor and closed the doors firmly behind him. Although the old man would never admit it, the chill was beginning to bother him, and Dasril may not be as generous a master as many, but he respected his servants and treated them well. Jeffrey's health was of his concern. No doubt if he fell ill the entire manor would fall apart. The Goddesses know the rest of the help were incompetent without his direction.

He wandered deep into the forest. Situated half on the side of a mountain, the terrain was uneven in places and rocky in most. But there was one place that was flat enough for his purposes. It was next to a limestone cliff face.

A few caves dotted the cliff but they held mainly ice keese and were not of any relevance. He'd explored them often as a child, a dangerous form of amusement since the stability of the caverns was questionable and there were many pitfalls that could easily have ended his young life. Not that his parents had cared about what he did in his spare time. They had three other children to replace him, what did it matter if he were lost to his foolishness. He considered it the greatest irony when it was they, living their comfy and carefree lifestyles, never engaging in activities that could be considered risky or unsafe, who died, leaving him the last of the Foulkes. A sickness had taken them. The doctor had explained that being outdoors and refusing to be coddled and sheltered with the others had given him a stronger immunity and so he'd been spared.

And so the fittest shall survive.

Maybe if they had toughened up a bit more they'd have stood a chance. It had been his greatest pleasure when not half a month later both his mother and father had succumbed to the same sickness, leaving him the inheritance and his father's title.

There was one area near the cliff face that was completely covered in black scorch marks as if a dragon had come to vent its anger out in this place. He liked the sound of that. Being compared to a dragon, the fiercest of all beasts.

He was no dragon, but he certainly felt like one.

Dasril stood at the edge of the clearing and let the magic flow through him. It became hot, a burning fire rushing through his veins, dying to be released. He angled his body sideways and flung his hand out. He'd release it in the most destructive way that magic could be, as fire.

A wave of flame burst from his palm. It roared and hit the cliff face at full throttle, creating a dent in the rock. He jut out his other hand and let loose another blast, stepping forward. After the first few shots he continued flinging his magic with a wave of euphoria. Another step and he spun around, igniting the air in front of him, with the next step he crossed both his arms and circled them upwards and a tornado of fire erupted around him, spinning rapidly. The heat enticed him to do more so he made it bigger, swelling in size so that it stood as tall as the trees, flaring and blazing.

The thing he loved most about magic was that one could create a phenomenal act of power out of nothing. All one needed was energy. Fire may be the easiest of powers to conjure, even a beginner mage could cast fire, but it was also the most calamitous, and that made it satisfying.

He ended the tornado with a downward sweep of his arms.

He stood panting for a moment, perspiration forming on his brow and plastering his dark hair to his face. No doubt it made him look devilishly attractive.

He admired his handiwork. A swirling pattern on the ground showed the path of his impressive tornado. The area was wet with melted snow, and new black marks had been added to the limestone, darker and larger than the others.

Deciding it was enough for today he started back towards the manor.

Jeffrey was there at the ready to open the doors for him, having watched for his arrival. Dasril nodded as he took the glass of water from the tray that Jeffrey held out in offering and drank it down thirstily. He then took the hand towel and wiped the sweat off his face.

"Your bath is ready for you in your quarters, my lord," said Jeffrey.

Dasril grunted in acknowledgement and started up the stairs to his room.

"Also, she is here."

Dasril turned on him abruptly. "When was this?"

"Just ten minutes after you'd gone."

He frowned. He'd been out in the woods for a full hour at least. "And why was I not informed sooner?"

Jeffrey answered unperturbed at his master's snappish tone. "You had prohibited anyone from bothering you while you trained. It's for our own protection, my lord."

Yes, he had said that. Damn it.

Swiftly he spun on his heels and strode off. As much as he was excited that she was here, he couldn't allow her to see him like this. The workout gave him more allure, he recognized that, but he wanted her to see him only when he was at his best and that was when he was clean and smelling of male musk.

The bath was steaming and ready for him and he quickly stripped and immersed himself in the hot water. He had just been practicing with fire but having long become used to it the additional heat from the bath didn't bother him as he lay in to soak. He scrubbed himself down then dried off and changed into a new suit and cape. He had an attendant assist him and before long he was looking as spiffing as ever.

* * *

><p>He watched her from his study as she glided on the ice. Her lithe figure bent in artistic forms as she spun and on occasion jumped, catching the ice perfectly with the jagged toe of her blade and landing deftly with nary a wobble.<p>

She was vastly underdressed for the cold weather, but Dasril didn't mind. It made watching her all the more enjoyable. The entire left wall of the study was made up of floor to ceiling windows and he thought they offered a spectacular view of his front yard where she skated on the frozen surface of a small lake.

He admired her form as she did another jump, arms held close as she spun twice through the air then spread out as she landed, her golden hair drifting in the wind.

Dasril swirled his wine as he mused.

It had been two years and four months since he'd accepted her into his home. Since the Princess Zelda had been living with him.

It had completely shocked him, her sudden turn in behavior. It amazed him how such a spoiled little brat could all of a sudden flip around and turn into this mature and knowledgeable young woman. And he'd not been the only one taken by surprise.

He pondered. He supposed her overture had happened at her seventeenth birthday celebration. He remembered thinking her beautiful in that lovely gold and white gown, with pearls weaved into her hair and twisted high on her head, her eyelids painted in that feathery design that the ladies so adored these days. That thing with the eye-shadow? Yes, that had been her doing. She'd started that trend and the others had fawned over her for it and set to imitate it. As always she had revelled in the attention of her court, the princess heir to the throne was the center of their attentions, and they doted on her simply because of that single title.

No one would dare outright admit that they thought her a spoiled whiny child.

But then…

Her birthday celebration was to last the entire day. It had been just as they'd been about to be seated for luncheon when she had suddenly become pale. She'd shivered and ignored everyone's questions of concern, and then she'd fled. She was found later, hidden in the shrubbery of the gardens, collapsed.

Attacked! Some said. Cursed! Most believed. Ill, he'd thought.

People tended to overdramatize everything.

It had been when she'd awakened that she had truly baffled them all. Whatever had happened had changed her. She'd become silent and somber. Her attitude and behavior vastly different than how it was before. For instance, even as a frilly child she'd always been known for having a particular talent for archery, but then she started practicing ridiculous shots that ricocheted up to four times before finding the target and it always hit dead center. Her prowess with the sword – a hobby of tradition for the royal family that she had often complained about – had improved drastically until she could easily fight off three opponents at a time and still be ready for more. She'd shown an interest in politics that she had never displayed before and had been able to hold lengthy conversations with him over their standing with their neighboring countries.

To say he'd been impressed was an understatement. Somehow describing her as a brat had become inappropriate and more he saw her as the future ruler of their country.

For two months she'd been like this. In addition she'd been holing herself away in the library, barring everyone else out as she worked on something that eluded him. And that was when she'd approached him.

Dasril had had no fondness for the bratty princess, but the person that had come to him that day had been different. They had been friends before then, although the relationship was mostly one-sided as he'd taken her for a petulant child and only associated with her because of his position as a councilmember, but she had always viewed him with calm familiarity.

He didn't know whether she trusted him more than the others, or if she thought of him because he was able to provide what she needed, but either way, she had come to him.

"_There is something I must do. I cannot tell you what it is, but it will take me away from the castle for long periods of time. I'd rather no one know of this for I fear that it pertains to the safety of all of Hyrule."_

She had looked at him so seriously then, and for all his doubts he had believed her.

"_I trust in you, Dasril. Will you lend me your assistance?"_

And by the Goddesses, he'd been unable to say no.

The next thing he knew everybody's memories of the princess heir had been wiped. All evidence of her existence gone, her status as heir taken up by her younger brother, a poor replacement, but Zelda would have no other. No one knew of Hyrule's princess, none but _him_.

When he'd first brought her to the manor she'd raised all sorts of inquiries from the staff. Unsurprisingly, they'd not remembered her either, for if they had then their rumors would have been unfounded.

Zelda was thought at first to be his mistress, which shocked the staff as he was known to be a man of good morals. But he was young, at the time he'd been twenty-two, accomplished and no doubt virile. Reluctantly the thought had overtaken them, perhaps it was possible? It was negated by two things. The first being that Dasril, as with the majority of those who worshipped the Goddesses, viewed matrimony as a sacred bonding. He would reserve himself for only one woman and would not submit to debased acts of debauchery in the meantime. Second was that his and Zelda's rooms were on complete opposite ends of the manor, a hardly functional arrangement for a pair of lovers.

Zelda remained a mystery to them. None of the staff were allowed to enter her personal rooms but for the head maid, and she was prudent enough to keep her silence in regards to anything and everything pertaining to Zelda, so they were left to continue wondering.

The next rumor to go about was that she was a poor victimized girl who Dasril had rescued one day off the streets and been generous enough to shelter. The staff had then treated Zelda with the utmost respect and sympathy, speaking kindly to her as if she were some fragile little doll who would shatter with the slightest touch. They continuously asked if there was anything at all that she needed and not to hesitate to ask if there was. To them she was some charity case.

That had amused Dasril to no end, but overall seemed to unfaze Zelda. She had responded negatively and kindly to all offers and had not once showed any embarrassment at their display of pity.

When they saw that she didn't act at all like some terrorized little fawn they had to once again reconsider.

Later it was decided that she was some sort of co-worker of his. She always left at a moments notice and sometimes stayed absent for weeks. Oftentimes on her return she'd bring home an assortment of different tools and weapons, books and trinkets that he had no idea what they were used for or even why she collected them. He could sense a small trace of magic in some, but overall the rest were completely useless. As a matter of fact, she'd allowed him to keep some of them and the items on his bureau at the castle were mostly souvenirs from her wanderings. Of course, he tampered with them and made them of use, but overall they were insignificant baubles.

This last assumption was the one that stuck with the staff. It gave them an easier time when deciding how to deal with her and they simply treated her as they normally would a guest, although a much more privileged one. He'd given her free reign of the manor and authority over the servants. The staff might wonder why he respected her so, but it remained that she was his princess and so he would serve her, as long as her demands did not impede on any order from lord Xerthos.

On her last spin Zelda chanced to look up and notice him. She twirled around to steady herself and waved in acknowledgement before shooting off the ice. She removed her skates on a bench and replaced her boots. She then walked towards the house, running her fingers through her hair to relieve it of any knots. He lost sight of her as the overhang of the roof got in the way.

From downstairs he could hear the door opening and her lilting voice as she accepted a towel from Jeffrey, then the clacking of boots on the marble floor of the foyer. Soon she was making her way up the stairs. She let herself in the study and smiled at him.

"Dasril, I had not expected you back so soon."

Zelda rubbed the towel in her hair, made wet by melted snowflakes and went to stand before the hearth, warming herself up.

Dasril sipped his wine as he eyed her. "You may sit down if you wish. A little water won't damage the furniture."

"Yes it can."

He shrugged. "Then I can simply have it replaced, or I can trade with another room."

After a moment she sat with deliberation, trying as much as she could to touch as little of the settee as possible while she dried herself off. Dasril stood and withdrew another glass from the cabinet. Filling it up with red wine, he held it out to Zelda.

"Thank you," she said courteously and accepted it, abandoning her attempts at wringing her hair for now in order to drink the heart warming brew.

Dasril took a spot on the opposite end of the settee, flinging his arm over the backrest, ever aware of the tips of his fingers not quite touching Zelda's shoulder.

"Have you found what it is you are looking for?" he asked flippantly. His half-hearted question was met with a frown.

"Dasril..." she intoned tersely. "I shall remind you that for no reason and with no coercion shall I reveal the intricacies of my quest. I asked for your aid on the grounds that my goal remain unclear to you, and you agreed of your own will."

Dasril nodded. "That I did." Although he was disappointed that after all this time she still would not confide in him.

"All goes well with Zellandus?" she asked, and Dasril struggled to refrain from sighing.

Zellandus, it was always about her fool of a brother.

"The gala went off with nary a hitch. The council is even now preparing for the blessing ceremony," he looked at her steadily. "Are you fine with this? If you had remained you'd be queen by now."

Zelda held up a hand. "My decision holds fast. I do not regret anything. This is as it should be…"

He brushed his free hand through the long black locks of his hair, his thumb briefly flicking over the pointed tip of his ear. "You would make a better ruler."

Zelda smiled into her wine. "You flatter me. Now, tell me of Zellandus."

The brat Zelda would have been bouncing on her seat, the inflection of a whine in her tone, but this Zelda, this one who he found much more appealing, waited calmly for his reply, smiling kindly at him.

He was her primary source of information from Castle Town and therefore she relied on him to bring news concerning her brother. The long ventures where she took off alone he could live with, the time she spent with him in his home he relished, but he absolutely abhorred his part in their arrangement. He hated how her focus was always on her brother, how nothing else mattered as long as her brother was safe.

And he was safe for now.

If Lord Xerthos' plans came through he would not have to bother with that nuisance anymore. Zellandus would be done away with and Hyrule would be conquered by a new evil.

It was a pity that while Zelda strived to guard her kingdom he was among those who sought to destroy it.

Xerthos offered him formidable power, and who was he to refuse such a gift. He was glad in some part that Zelda would be spared the horrors of what was to come. If she had become queen then she'd have been the one to be sacrificed for ultimate power. And by hiding herself away he could keep her all to himself, safe from Xerthos and Reth and Vivienne. They would have no need to know of her. No one needed to know that a princess had ever existed.

He sighed. "Zellandus was… attacked, the night of the gala."

"What?"

He rushed to calm her down. "He is safe. A couple of assassins made an attempt at his life, but they were brought down."

A fire lit in Zelda's eyes, flaming and bold. "Were the assassins caught?"

"No. They were unable to even discover the identities."

"They escaped?"

"They died, I was told, in a flash of smoke," he scoffed. "Preposterous, I assure you. Tall tales that bear no significance and are completely exaggerated."

"Have the council taken measures to insure my brother's safety?" she demanded. "I want this incidence investigated and the ones guilty caught at once."

No matter that nobody knew of her existence Dasril was still obliged to relay her orders in her stead and to carry them out.

"You don't think that the council would have let this pass without a suitable counter?" he said with feigned hurt. "We are making headway on the assassination attempt. I assure you, we'll find the ones responsible." Hah, they'd discover it was Reth only if he wanted to be found out. Not only that, Reth was the minister of intelligence and rooting out spies and cutthroats fell to him. "Security in the palace has also been doubled. The prince has even gone so far as to acquire a new personal bodyguard, although I do not see why he simply does not call those Sheikah to his aid."

"They would never leave him completely alone," said Zelda knowingly. "No matter how much he orders them away, at least one Sheikah, Brula notwithstanding, will be there, watching over him from the shadows."

That is what rankled him about the Sheikah. Sly little snakes. One could never fully tell if you were being tailed or not. Dasril had made it a habit of his to be on alert and continuously probe his surroundings with his magic to sense out their dark essence.

"About this bodyguard, who is it? Is he decent?" Zelda asked.

Dasril grimaced as he thought of Link. He was remarkable with a sword, better by far than himself, he'd give him that. Honestly, he didn't care what sort of company the Prince kept. It wouldn't matter in the end with Xerthos' plans.

"Some boy from Heron Falls. The prince claims that they are close friends, but I know he lies," said Dasril. "He was the one who assisted the prince in diverting the assassination attempt. He is called Link."

Zelda suddenly sat frigid, her hands constricting around her glass so still that it looked as if they could belong to a statue.

"Link…"

Now this was interesting. "You know of him?"

"I know the name…" she said quietly, her pure blue eyes staring intensely into the fire.

Dasril watched her cautiously. Was she shaking?

She stood abruptly, losing her grip on her glass. Only Dasril's sharp reflexes prevented it from tumbling to the floor and spilling all over.

She rounded the settee and quickly strode out the door. Dasril rushed to levitate the glass down and follow her.

He caught sight of the trails of her hair as she disappeared down another corridor.

"Zelda? Zelda wait!"

What was this all of a sudden? What was it about that name that merited such a reaction? By no means was this in any way close to similar to the types of fits she used to throw as a brat, but for her present personality it was drastic.

Some of the servants poked their heads out to see what all the commotion was, but he paid them no heed. Heavens know what they thought of this outlandish sight, their lord and master running after his female guest. But right now he wanted to know what it was that had gotten Zelda so bothered.

He recognized the route to her room and walked rapidly in her wake until he came to her closed doors and barged in… and was blinded as something dropped on his face.

He smelled the scent of roses and pulled it away to reveal the towel she'd been using to dry her hair. He then heard the shuffling of fabric and then something was tossed over the folding screen that Zelda was changing behind.

Dasril paused then made to compose himself, coughing softly into his fist and chucking the dampened towel onto a nearby chair.

This was highly inappropriate.

"Zelda," he began tentatively, and seeing how she replied with only a muffled yes, he assumed she didn't care that he was currently in her chambers as she stripped a mere ten paces away.

"Zelda, what's the matter? What has you so disconcerted?"

Her dress was flung across the screen then and his eyes widened disproportionally. Being the gentleman that he was, he swiftly averted them and tried not to think about the scantily clad woman behind the screen. It was a wooden type painted with delicate pink blossoms and bluebirds. Too bad it wasn't the paper kind that some people preferred. Then at least he'd get to see her silhouette.

Indecent thoughts!

Before she'd arrived such a circumstance would have undaunted him. He valued his resilience to feminine charms after all. But that was inevitably dashed now. Or perhaps the effect was stimulated because it was her specifically.

"You say this Link hails from Heron Falls?" she asked and shuffled some more as she shimmied out of whatever piece of undergarment she'd been wearing.

"Y-yes. Although his-" he swallowed and started again, eyes wandering back to the screen as her hands briefly flashed above it. "His heritage, though, is unknown."

Why was she so concerned with Link? Had she ever been to Heron Falls?

Zelda then emerged from behind the screen, clad in a silk robe of royal blue with a golden leafy pattern along the trim. Her hands were fisted inside the sleeves and his brows rose at that childish act.

His eyes fell to her bare feet, padding quietly across the floor.

"You are correct in that I am acquainted with someone named Link," she said smoothly. "I am merely… frustrated because I cannot allow myself to go and confirm if he is the same man."

He forced himself to remember that he was a nobleman of good standing before he thought about her words. "Why ever not?" He should really not be entertaining such thoughts about his princess.

She faltered. "I do not have the time. And also when last Link and I parted it was on… disagreeable terms. I do not wish to burden him with the reminder of what once was. He's suffered enough without having the constant source of his enmity near him."

He saw her downcast expression, although she hid it well. He was then able to look past her scandalous state of dress and drew near enough to rest his hands gently on her upper arms. She didn't pull the folds of her robe closer in bashfulness nor did she shy away from his touch. She turned her head to the side and gave her profile, but Dasril felt that it was because of sadness rather than a want to shun him.

"And what were you? Young loves? Did you play marriage games with him and make promises that you'd be unable to hold to? Or was it he who made the promises and was not man enough to keep them? Did he hurt you in some way?"

Had she and this Link character been close? If so, how close? It must have been a valued relationship if she was this desperate to avoid him.

"Perhaps you can make amends? You are not the same person you were before. You've changed."

Goddesses, why was he consoling her because of a man he was increasingly growing to spite?

Zelda met his gaze then, ice blue irises connecting with his own rich brown ones.

"Yes, I have," she said silently, stepping away and making her way towards the bathing room. "I would like to bathe now. Please leave."

"As you wish," he acquiesced, and backed out of her chamber, watching her as she disappeared into the bathroom. He stepped out, closing the door firmly behind him.

He shot warning glares at the few servants hovering curiously in the area and they bolted, suddenly finding themselves busy. No doubt the rumors surrounding him and Zelda would only escalate. They probably saw this new closeness as blooming love. Dasril was mildly surprised to find he was not quite bothered by it as he normally would have been.

He thought about what she had said as he strolled down the corridors. She'd been so content with her life at the manor. So merry and free, but at the mere mention of that man's name…

He stopped and inhaled deeply, his eyes steeling.

The past could be buried, but the future… the future one had to face full front. Link was the past… and he was the future.

* * *

><p>Zelda flopped down on her fluffy bed, a mass of pillows really. She'd just finished her bath and was dressed in her night shift and heavy gown to stave off the cold. Hastily she buried herself under the covers and relaxed into the downy mattress. She wore socks to bed as well, something that she'd never been allowed to do at the castle, but here she was free to make her own decisions, and even then with the knowledge that she had now none would have been able to stop her from doing whatever she wanted. A right she had exercised when she'd kicked everyone out of the library and hoarded all the books to herself. Her attendants had been shocked, but none could object when it was a direct order.<p>

She tried not to think about Link while she'd been taking her bath, but now with nothing to do but think until she fell asleep her thoughts were full of him.

Back two and a half years ago her memories had hit her like a rock fall and she'd been pummelled. She'd mused in her room for days, troubled, she hadn't known what to do. Should she look for Link or should she wait for him to come to her? But then that day long ago came back to her. That time he'd showed her his true feelings. He resented her, he abhorred her, she was impeding on his life each and every time.

He could not have discussed it in lighter tones? He had to disgrace her and actively tear at her heart to convey his feelings on the matter?

But he was right. It was she who had been at fault. She'd been presumptuous, taking for granted what had always been there. She'd been so scared of change she had tethered him to her like a dog to a peg. She bore him as a decoration in court, pushed aside his desires in favor of the stability he provided. It was no wonder they'd drawn apart.

She as well remembered her death so vividly. Remembered the pain, the haze of her last few hours, seeing Link, hearing his voice… so sad… so agonized.

He had told her he regretted the words he'd said. He regretted every folly he'd committed against her. But Zelda knew that his admittance that day in the study bore the repressed thoughts that had been festering in his mind for decades, perhaps centuries. That had probably been the most truthful he'd ever been to her in all their lives.

He'd been miserable and spiteful, and it was she who had made him that way. She'd been privileged her entire existence. Born into royalty, pampered time and time again, and so she thought why should she be denied the husband she wanted? It had taken a scathing lecture from that husband to make her realize that people could not be collected as inanimate objects could. Link had never been hers to keep. She had no right to him.

It was with this mindset that she had sequestered herself in the library, delving through the numerous monstrous tomes until she'd found something that would suit her intentions.

And so she'd blocked the world's memories of her. Nobody would spare her a passing glance on the street now, so thoroughly had her spell worked. As for Link… she relieved him of his duty as hero. In his place she would seek out Ganondorf and stop his tyranny before it even began.

Link could live that happy insouciant life he'd always wanted. She wouldn't be there to interfere.

On to the primary reason of her undertakings… Ganondorf had either yet to make his move or he was working with sly precision before he released his first attack. But she was getting close.

Word of mouth told of an Augurer, a dark wizard with hordes of monsters at his beck and call willing to do his whim. This last venture had taken her to the deep canyons that separated the land of Termina from Hyrule. There she had found evidence of a monster camp, larger than they'd ever become without some greater force to bring them all together, and among them only the faintest traces of a magical signature. The Augurer had been there not too long ago, heading southward, but it was soon after that she'd lost the trail as the terrain became hard stone and as they'd reached the river. There was no telling where they had crossed and Zelda had become dispirited before using a warp stone to teleport back to the manor.

There was no doubt in her mind that the Augurer was Ganondorf himself or a general of his. In either case he could not continue to roam Hyrule overlooked.

She had not informed Dasril of this to take before the council simply because the council was already aware of the menace and had taken measures to deal with it as best they could. But there was little any of them could do against the great King of Thieves. Only one with the Triforce stood a chance.

She shifted on the bed, hugging a pillow to her as she set her chin on its plushy bulk. She frowned as she considered the new information that Dasril had brought to her.

People dying in smoke… Dasril had trivialized it, but she had a feeling that it bore more importance than he let on. She might have to pay a visit to the old Sheikah village to find her answers, but intuition told her that there was something spurious about it all.

A tapping at the window made her look up and there on the floor of her balcony was a bedraggled looking bird. Upon closer inspection she saw that it was a hawk bearing a canteen tied with a cord to its leg. He skipped impatiently as Zelda hastened to open the balcony doors and let him in, along with a flurry of snow. She quickly closed the door and latched it shut, wiping away the few snowflakes that clung to her.

She approached the hawk and once she released the canteen from his leg he fluttered over to the backrest of her vanity chair and ruffled his feathers to get rid of as much liquid as possible. He then tucked his head under his wing, clearly exhausted.

Zelda admired him for braving such harsh snowy weather, and for continuing on even as it became dark. Queen Zora must have been in a persnickety mood when she sent him.

Uncapping the canteen, Zelda fingered the inside and pulled out the letter. She unrolled it and perused it with one sweep of the eyes.

"Thirty thousand rupees?" she murmured quietly, both amused and appalled that the queen would be demanding so much.

She had shared a correspondence with Queen Helerra for a short period now. Of course the queen did not know who she was, to her Zelda was an anonymous purchaser who had claimed her metaphorical ear with the promise of riches. But she hadn't quite expected the queen to demand this much.

"Thirty thousand for a simple hookshot?" she exclaimed once more. It was not that she lacked the funds. She had opened a private account that she'd filled with a vast amount of her personal wealth before she'd carried out her plan, but this might just make a small dent in it.

The queen made it clear at the end of the note that she was not interested in bargaining and that if the price was too high for her she'd find another purchaser. Zelda really had no choice but to concede. The very thought of such a valuable item in the hands of some neophyte adventurer bothered her exceedingly.

She sat at her desk and pulled out a blank parchment to pen her reply with the promise of the thirty thousand rupees by the end of the week. She trusted the queen not to double cross her, but honestly she wasn't too certain how Queen Helerra interacted with other people. As the princess they'd been friends, able to relate with each other and oftentimes they'd have fun ordering their attendants about, sending them on the most ridiculous errands. As her friend she trusted her implicitly, but as strangers… Queen Zora was known for her slyness, there was no mistake about that, the very means as to how she had even acquired the hookshot was questionable – and secretly she hoped she wasn't trying to make a profit off of Link's things – but would she lack honor enough to dupe somebody?

She flashed a cursory glance at the messenger hawk and decided she'd wait to send the letter on the morrow. They had a regular postman that ran all over Hyrule delivering mail, and it astounded her how reliable and swift he was, but she specifically requested their letters to be sent via hawk. She didn't want to bring more attention to herself than what was necessary. She'd rather be seen by as few people as possible. Even if she had full confidence in her memory spell, she didn't want to chance her appearance triggering something.

With any luck the queen would reply soon and the transaction would be made with little hassle.

The hookshot was a necessary item. No doubt it would come in handy on her next venture, and perhaps…

Castle Town was on the way to her next destination, and she needed to stop there for her withdrawal… maybe she could drop in and check on Zellandus and Link…?

No! Out of the question! It was too risky!

She'd been a Sheikah in one of her previous lives so she trusted in her stealth, what posed the risk was her heart. It wouldn't be able to withstand the longing and the painful yearning for what could no longer be. She had no right to him.

But… if it was just to confirm his identity, to see if it really was Link, and to make certain that he fared well…?

Only this once. Only once would she check on him. After that she'd put him from her mind. It was too bad she could not put him so easily from her heart. Their union might have been a shambles, but beneath it all she truly had loved him, despite the awkwardness and misunderstandings. He'd always been someone she could depend on, and she hoped that she'd been the same for him…

She went to bed thinking of him and both anticipating and dreading seeing him again.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Generala you were practically on the dot with this one, so congrats! ^^**

**Initially I had wanted Link to find Zelda once he reached castle town and both of them together would take down Ganondorf or maybe end him for good. But then I thought, that wouldn't be as interesting as **_**this**_**! Zelda is a woman and as such is sensitive no matter how tough her exterior, so I brought out all her uncertainties and doubts and gave the story a little twist. Zellandus was just a bonus idea that I had (I don't normally like OC siblings, but he was necessary to make this more interesting).**

**I mention the manor being on Snowpeak. You guys can speculate if it's the same manor as the Yeti mansion in Twilight Princess or not. I'll be leaving that open ended.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks to erico637, EllaSwanson, Generala, ObscurityProject, Flik98, Death Waltz, PrincessPeach, sorasqueenb, Bloodspire, allyssagrace16, and Nahelo for reviewing!**

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><p><span><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

Link had no choice but to keep close to Zellandus, but he purposefully placed a strict mental barrier in his mind and enforced some restraints. No more touching, not even supportive clasps' on the shoulder, no more thinking of him as Zelda. No. He would control himself. Control his emotions before they made him do something incriminating.

He was relieved in a sense when Brula had abruptly pulled the prince away. She had something to discuss with Zellandus in private and so they'd left him. For the first time in days he was not there to accompany the prince, so was able to freely wander the halls in this rare moment of leisure time. Not leisure actually. Most of the time spent with Zellandus was practically all leisure – Zelda had never been so lazy in her life…

And no matter how he tried, he always managed to somehow compare Zellandus to Zelda. This had to cease!

What he meant was that this was the first moment since he became Zellandus' personal bodyguard that he had time for himself, with no one around to disturb him. Taking advantage of this, he prudently avoided all the main areas where the nobility liked to socialize. This included the gardens, presence chamber, and the state apartments, as well as the kitchens – a particular hotspot for many of the tubbier lords and ladies.

Link wandered the halls absently, but then he came upon something that immediately caught his eyes. A pair of white double doors came into vision with golden swirls painted elaborated along the edges and a beautiful gold-inlaid harp on one door with a similarly inlaid violin on the other.

He reached his hand forward and touched the wood, transfixed. Then he opened it and entered the music room.

The heavy curtains had been drawn shut, casting the room in darkness. Link strode over to one and flung it open, fastening it with the ropes on either side. He surveyed his surroundings. Placed dead center in the room was a beautiful pianoforte, the polished white of its surface and the lack of dust showed that it was well used. Either that or the servants paid remarkable attention while cleaning it. Off to the side was a sitting area with an elegant full-sized harp. He gazed at it longingly, reminded of Zelda. Further on a shelf lined the wall filled with all sorts of musical volumes.

Atop the stand on the pianoforte one such volume lay open, displaying an array of black notes.

Without hesitance, Link took out his violin from his pouch, magically enlarging as it emerged, and opened the case. He rosined the bow and tightened the horsehair then set to tuning the strings.

When he was prepared, he placed bow to string and began to play. It was a song he was not familiar with it, slow and calming, like the wind on a spring day. Link focused on each note and played it with all the gracefulness of a symphonic composer.

He paused to turn the page, then continued playing, allowing the music to settle in his soul and relax him.

This was just what he needed. After so trying a week at the prince's side, he desired music to soothe his raging emotions. His worries all swept away with the melody.

The composition was eight pages long and he made a few mistakes while playing, but eventually he reached the end and decided he quite enjoyed that piece.

He turned to another page and saw that this was one he remembered. The Serenade of Water written for the piano and with many more movements added in.

He played this one perfectly since he was already familiar with it then moved on to the next song. He played until he'd had enough, feeling well rested and at peace.

As he closed the book the room became unnaturally cold. With a ruffling of fabric he was suddenly immersed in intense darkness. The curtain he had previously opened abruptly fluttered shut. Link peered around the room. His ears pricked and form tense. He listened as he waited for his eyes to dilate.

Nothing. He didn't see anything there.

And yet, he didn't pass it off as a fluke. He sensed something dark, a faint presence. There was definitely something in here with him.

Then came the laughter, multiple voices resounding all at once.

Link carefully laid down his violin and slowing reached his hand back to his sword.

…_**Great Hero…**_

The eerie voice sent a shiver down his spine and Link searched for its originator.

His hand closed around the hilt. "Who are you?"

Could this be…?

It didn't sound like his voice. Ganondorf's was deeper and with a jeering taint to it. This one was hollow with no inflection at all, as if it were the dead talking. Perhaps a servant of his?

…_**Hero…Hero…**_

He drew his sword, wishing earnestly that he had his shield on him. It would have also been helpful had he also had the lens of truth. What had that queen said happened to it? Something about it disappearing? How could she lose such a valuable artifact?

Ever alert, he walked forward, turning to look around. He made it to the curtains, intending to once again shed light on the room. He went to pull the heavy fabric aside but as his fingers neared they were zapped. He drew back his hand, hissing in pain.

"What in Din's name?"

A barrier had appeared, black with red sparks. It ran all the way around the wall, blocking any means of escape.

Well that was fine by him. He hadn't intended on escaping.

…_**Ha…ha…ha…**_

"Show yourself!" he snarled. He'd had enough of this! If he was going to be terrorized he wanted to see his opponent.

Link would never admit to being afraid. Frankly it with his experience and lifetimes most things no longer frightened him, but this was as creepy as they come. He could handle it though. He was well acquainted with creepy. Poes and such were only frightening until one learned how to defeat them. With that knowledge they became no more than a small hurdle to overcome.

…_**We feel you hero…**_

…_**We feel hate…we feel anger…we feel the urge to kill…**_

…_**Your heart is black!**_

Link tried to pinpoint the voice to no avail. "What is this madness?"

The enemy was playing games with him, and he despised it. What was the purpose for this taunting?

If only it would reveal itself. It bothered him immensely when he couldn't see who or what he was faced with. And it bothered him doubly when they spoke of things they knew nothing of.

Lies. It spoke of lies.

…_**Your soul sings for blood…**_

…_**Fountains of blood…**_

…_**You thirst to kill…**_

He peered into the darkness trying to sense out the creature. He could feel a black malice swooping over him, putting pressure to his soul.

He snarled, "You're wrong!"

…_**Yet you still kill…**_

…_**Yet you still…draw blood…**_

The voices rang as an eerie chorus.

Link narrowed his eyes and twirled his sword. Yes it was true, he did kill, but only in defense, only those who sought to do harm to him or others.

However, it still remained that he'd killed thousands. Through each lifetime, any and all monsters he'd come upon, he slew. And not just monsters, sometimes it had been Hylians too, turned by the forces of evil. They had stood in his path to save Hyrule and refused redemption.

Their blood was on his hands.

But he did not relish it. He despised killing! It was only out of necessity that he did it!

"Whoever you are, leave at once. Or would you rather taste the steel of my blade?" said Link strongly, his words reaching all corners of the room.

The dark presence flared almost as if in anger… no… amused. He could feel their sadistic glee leaking from the walls.

…_**You are guilty…**_

…_**You are traitorous…**_

Traitorous? No he wasn't! He wasn't! The only traitorous act he'd committed had been…

Whatever this demon was it was reading his deepest emotions, picking out through his regrets and fears.

…_**Where do your loyalties lie…**_

What?

…_**You yearn for it…**_

…_**His blood…**_

…_**You yearn for your prince's blood…**_

…_**Tear him apart…**_

…_**Slice his heart as you've done to so many others…**_

Link snarled. How dare they! "You question me? Fine, then I shall answer. My loyalty is forever to Hyrule and its sovereign. I vow to protect the prince with my very life, I swear I'll do everything I can so that nothing may harm him." He glared at the ceiling for that is where he felt the most dark energy emanating from. "I feel hate for my enemies. It is they who ignite my anger, and if they do not step down only then shall they meet the sharpness of my blade."

…

…_**You lie…**_

…_**Blood…you seek blood…**_

Link grit his teeth, his sword arm quivered. "Enough."

…_**His blood…**_

…_**You want to stain your hands with his blue blood…**_

…_**Tear…**_

…_**Slash…**_

…_**Kill…**_

"I said enough!" he roared.

The next instant the doors banged open and hastened footsteps crossed the room.

"Stop this at once! There is no need to further torment him," said Brula staring ahead calmly.

Slowly the black barrier began to fade away, the voices became silent. The pressure was gone. Link released a shuddering breath from repressed anger. He felt the presence fade, the heavy coldness of the room subsiding.

Without sheathing his sword he glared at Brula, who it seemed was involved in this.

"What was that!?" he spat through gritted teeth.

Brula met his gaze sturdily. "A race that you are very familiar with, I'm sure."

Familiar with? Nothing he'd ever encountered had done… had done that! Had been capable of shaking him so thoroughly. He'd been taunted and jeered at by enemies before, but not to that extent, not when the goal wasn't to humiliate but to drive him insane.

"Did I not warn you, your highness?" said Brula.

To Link's surprise, Zellandus revealed himself at the threshold and stepped in, rubbing his arms and visibly shivering. "I had no idea they'd go this far. I just let them out to play a little."

"They're not dogs!" shot Brula sharply. "Torture methods are their specialty, you should have anticipated this!"

Zellandus stood stiff and looked around uneasily. "And the way they said my name! My dear dazzling Nayru! I hope never to hear it upon their lips ever again! Gives me chills. Did you have to talk about killing me in such a fashion?"

Then it hit him. The Sheikah were known for their mastery at interrogation and torture. He'd just never been on the receiving end on it.

…_**It was necessary…**_

Link jumped as that same bone-chilling voice as before met his ears, although this time it was a single voice speaking rather than a multitude of them.

"And…" Zellandus waved his hand, pressing the voice on.

…

"Hah! I knew it," he muttered.

At Link's quizzical expression, Brula tapped her cane and went on to explain. "The Sheikah were only to assess you and scope out your sincerity. It seems they found you decent."

Oh, that was fine now was it? "Where are they?" Link growled, slowly relaxing his shoulders as he sheathed his sword.

"They'll only possess corporeal forms when I demand it, or if there is some danger to deal with," said Zellandus languidly. "If you think you're spooked out, try living with them since birth. Imagine hearing random voices telling you 'you shouldn't do that', 'danger lurks beyond that path', 'it's time for bed, your highness'." Zellandus shuddered. "Truly traumatizing. Took father ages to convince me that I was not going mad, and that the voices were there to protect me."

"I've never heard of Sheikah acting that way," said Link, frowning.

"That is because they are no longer as they had once been," explained Brula. "The Sheikah have always teetered close to extinction. Soon all that remained were ten of us. Out of the remaining Sheikah eight in our clan sacrificed themselves and became immortal beings."

"Immortal beings?" asked Link. Goddesses, what has happened since he'd last been alive?

"They chose to be bound to the royal family in an inseparable way. Now they live forever, but as such they lose their Hylian capabilities. They have no need for nourishment, but they do need rest and energy to properly function. Rather than remain in a physical body they reside in the shadows for Zellandus to call upon. They will ever be alert for threats against his highness. Zellandus chooses them for his most important espionage tasks."

Zellandus scoffed. "More like you choose them." At Brula's deafening pause, he impatiently waved. "Well, go on."

Brula cleared her throat. "As I said, we use them to spy and seek out the most villainous inhabitants in Hyrule."

Link thought about it and recognized the enormous benefits that would come from such an advantage. "But they're bound? They become prisoners?"

"They wouldn't consider themselves prisoners. Their fate is what they agreed to," said Brula solemnly. "Every Sheikah has sworn an oath to defend the Hylian monarchy. They'd do anything to uphold this oath."

"But then, can they ever be killed?"

"I would not risk telling you even if I knew," said Brula, and she hobbled over to the door and placed her hand on it. That same barrier she'd used in Zellandus' royal suite swept over each surface. "Now that you have been deemed worthy, I shall fill you in."

So, even as Link wanted to stick close to Zellandus to monitor him, Zellandus had also kept watch on Link as well. Zellandus already possessed capable guards, he had no real need for Link.

He recalled what Zellandus had said. That he shall be Zellandus' visible guard.

He smirked. Wise move, making him think that he was accepted and trusted while the whole time they were evaluating him, although he did not particularly enjoy the deception. It must have been Brula's idea. Those Sheikah were indeed sly.

And had he forgotten all that they did for the royal family? No wonder he'd been so creeped out. He remembered eons ago fearing Impa, who with only a single glance could chill any capable soldier to the bone. She'd brought many a person to their knees that way, some weeping, some wetting themselves, some confessing to wrongdoings even if they had not been suspected of anything.

Brula brought her hand down and placed it over the other on her cane. "I'm certain you are aware of the situation in Hyrule. Our time of peace has come to an end. Evil has returned and only you can stop it."

As always. But this time he didn't mind at all. The Sheikah were correct. He did desire blood and death, Ganondorf's. He'd stop him before he had a chance to manifest himself.

So the old Sheikah had been withholding information. He gazed at her with steel eyes. "Tell me what you know."

"It gladdens me that you so readily accept your fate," said Brula. "Now listen closely. There is one who has been causing a stir, he is powerful and has inspired many dark tales among our soldiers. He roams the land calling himself the Augurer."

Link narrowed his eyes. "And what sort of being is this Augurer?"

Brula became somber. "A dark wizard who surrounds himself with monsters. Few have ever seen him up close and those who have say that he hides his face. He wears a suit of black armor and a horned helm with the visor always down."

Link's eyes flashed and he and Brula shared knowing glances, both thinking the same thing.

Zellandus interrupted the moment with a loud huff. "Surely you don't actually believe that this no account ruffian is that king of all things evil fellow reborn do you?"

At their terse expressions Zellandus let out a laugh. "You do? How absurd, even more absurd than your foolish belief that this hero shares the very same soul and memories as all the previous ones. Imagine, someone experiencing life over and over again."

Link tensed and turned to Brula. "You told him about that?" He had suspected she'd known but thought her wise enough to keep this knowledge to herself.

Brula merely closed her eyes. "He needed to know. Not that he places any faith in the rebirth cycle. Foolish boy. Lives with magic all around him and still thinks there are things in this world that are impossible."

"That's because there are," snorted Zellandus.

Brula nodded. "Yes, for us that is. But not with the divine will of the Goddesses."

Link wanting to spare himself from listening to their debate interrupted them. "What about this Augurer? Where is he?"

He could reproach them later. He needed to get them back on track.

"Search me," said Zellandus, crossing his arms. "He seems like just a low account mage trying to grab himself some attention."

"I believe he is more a threat than you perceive him to be," said Brula to Zellandus, before addressing Link. "This Augurer has proven to be elusive, constantly on the move and not always among his hordes. He keeps us on our toes, but there is something strange about him. The Augurer has never outright actively attacked anyone. Our scouts think that he is first slowly building up his forces. The council does not know what to do about it. Half say that we should eliminate him before he does pose a problem, while the other half say we cannot act in offense unless the Augurer strikes first. They think we can do no more than send out our forces with a battle mage in each division to track him down and keep a look out. Good-willed, but a futile effort. If it is Ganondorf then there's nothing we can do against him. Not only that but the Augurer goes onto foreign soil often. He's been spotted in many different countries. It doesn't help that he wears the symbol of the Triforce on his front. Our neighbors are starting to believe that this is a show of force from Hyrule and are considering it a threat."

The symbol of the Triforce? Then it must be Ganondorf, who else would flaunt his entitlement so proudly.

"Is that what the dispute with Labrynna was about?" asked Link.

It was Zellandus who answered with a sigh. "Yes. And no matter how many times I insist that we have nothing to do with the Augurer, that darn Ambassador won't see reason. Thinks we're planning an assault; that we want to take over their country. Why we would ever want that puny and downright ugly piece of soil is amiss. She's just jealous of our fair Hyrule, that's what I say."

"And why haven't you ordered the Sheikah on his tail? They could keep an eye on him silently from the shadows," said Link, irately.

From around him the shadows flickered and a heaviness fell about the room. The curtains fluttered madly and Link could feel the traces of whispy hands grabbing at his tunic. He looked down at himself and backed up in shock. He felt the limbs, but saw nothing.

Brula hit her cane on the floor, the thud loudly reverberating. "Quiet down! No need to throw a tantrum. The hero asks a valid question."

Abruptly the atmosphere calmed as the shadows receded. Link felt the rapidness of his heart rate. Zellandus threw him a glance seeming to say 'see what I mean?' Link shared his sentiments. These ghostly apparitions were infinitely more disturbing than their physical forms had been.

"In answer to that," said Brula. "They have already tried that, but they find it difficult to follow when one can warp whenever they wish."

"So he can teleport," said Link. That did not surprise him. Teleportation had been one of Ganondorf's most prominent magical techniques.

"They latch onto their prey's shadow and as with the body, that shadow disappears when a person warps and they cannot keep hold of it during the process. As you see, we've been hard pressed to keep track of him."

"But what is he waiting for? Why does he not do anything?" asked Link, truly baffled.

Zellandus reiterated, "Search me." He yawned widely, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. "As much as I find this conversation engaging, I find it also depressing. Why must you be so serious all of the time? I understand with you Brula, being so old, you're as miserly as they get, but for you as well Link? I'm shocked."

Link tossed him an amused smirk. "You forget. I have centuries on you both."

The prince sighed in utter languor. "And I _still_ do not believe that."

However Link thought it might be that Zellandus didn't want to admit that he could be the princess of destiny reborn as the prince of destiny.

"I've talked to Byron and we've decided that from now on we'll pool our information in order to find out what's going on," said Brula. "We'll keep you updated on substantial events and shall call upon you when we decide to meet. Until then…" Brula snapped her fingers.

A dark shadow bulged on the ceiling, sliding down the wall and along the floor. Link took a stance as it melded with his shadow then stilled.

"As with Zellandus, one of the Sheikah shall remain with you at all times. He shall be hidden unless you require him. Feel free to give him tasks that you yourself would not be able to complete or that may aid you in your quest. But remember because of their sacrifice they remain in shadow form. It takes them great amounts of energy to take physical form so they shall not do so unless circumstances are dire."

Link moved his feet around precariously as if afraid of squishing the Sheikah then thought it foolish because it was incorporeal. For some reason he felt more icky than before, although he knew nothing had so much as touched him. He also felt a profound darkness about him now.

He didn't like the idea of having someone there to order around at a whim, but he acknowledged that it could prove advantageous. It might take a while to get used to though.

"It feels… odd," he said after a moment.

"I know what you mean," Zellandus bemoaned. "There goes your privacy, your freedom, you're virtually being stalked. Now you know that there's always someone with you."

"So, that accounts for two, where are the other six Sheikah?" asked Link.

He hated talking about them as if they weren't here, but this didn't seem to bother Brula, or maybe she just hid it. He didn't know quite how to term them. Were they still persons or could they be considered something else?

"Two more are with us but the last four are out keeping watch over potential enemies," Brula answered.

"Are none searching for Ganondorf?"

"When next he is sighted they shall be dispatched. In the meantime it is a waste when we have our soldiers to do that for us," said Brula.

Link sensed the added darkness to his shadow stirring. This was going to take a while to get used to.

* * *

><p>"What's all this?"<p>

Zellandus came forward to look out the window and huffed. "The citizens are preparing for the festival in two days. Before the blessing ceremony there is always a gala in which foreign guests and nobles are the main attendance, and soon after there's a festival for the common people. Although many of the nobles attend that too."

Ah, that was it. He'd almost forgotten about that.

They were enjoying a rare moment of peace in the solarium. Earlier the servants had entered to open all the windows and served them tea. A cool wind blew in the room, ruffling the fronds of the various potted plants and the tail end of the tablecloth. Sunlight beamed through at every angle. The dome that formed the ceiling was clear glass and allowed the full shine to cascade down on them. A fountain at one end of the room trickled water into a clear pool, inlaid with white and gold tiles set in a mosaic pattern.

Link brought his cup of deku tea to his lips, sipping slowly. As per usual he drank it plain without any added condiments, contrary to the prince who he witnessed adding a copious amount of sugar and cream and a dash of honey. He cringed imagining just how sweet that would taste.

"It seems the perfect opportunity for another attack," said Link, eyeing Zellandus who licked his lips after drinking a large gulp of his tea – if it could be called that anymore, it was more honey and milk. "You shouldn't push me away at the festival as you did at court. This time I must remain at your side."

He would take no risks when it came to Zellandus' safety.

A dark feminine voice intoned from beneath Zellandus' feet.

_**No need. That is why I am here.**_

Link's brows pinched. He would never get used to that.

Zellandus scowled and stomped his heel on the floor, hitting his shadow. "Will you stop doing that!" He stomped twice more as if with firm belief that the Sheikah hiding within could actually feel the blows. Link imagined she was rolling her eyes right now.

Zellandus ground his heel in emphasis then strode to his seat, plopping down daintily. "That was Carus. She takes her duty so seriously it's sickening. And she takes offense to anyone who so much as suggests that she's not adequate enough to handle things herself."

_**We feel no emotion.**_

The prince looked around the seat of his chair at his shadow. "You keep telling yourself that."

Link coughed. "Nevertheless. You'll be exposed at the festival. I recommend you wear chainmail or some other form of protection."

Zellandus waved at him dismissively. "Yes yes, dear Brula has everything planned down to a T. No worries there. That's why the Sheikah have been called back. They're to keep their eyes and ears open during the event. They'll be able to sense anyone with killing intent and report it to one of us."

For a moment they drank their tea quietly. Then the sounds of laughter from beyond the doors signaled the presence of a group of people. All of a sudden the doors were being swept open and in strode James with Wist and a gaggle of women at his side.

To Link's moderate surprise, Amy was also there. Pity. From the short time he'd known her he figured her to be a woman of refinedness.

Zellandus instantly sought out Wist and narrowed his eyes at the man. Link did wonder why the prince felt so much aversion towards him. From the time he'd spent with him he could deduce that he was honorable and noble, as Zellandus himself had described him. Perhaps it was one of those cases of instant dislike with no reason to it?

The group stopped when they saw who else occupied the room and James laughed heartedly.

"Ah, apologies. I was not previously aware that someone else had claimed this room before us," he said flippantly.

Zellandus cast a glance towards Link. "This is what happens when you invite guests within your home. Think they can just take over the whole place," he murmured from the corner of his mouth.

Link sipped his tea, but kept a wary eye on the lot in case the situation got sour.

Zellandus said aloud to his guests. "And I was not aware that you had access to my private rooms. Has Brula given you permission? Or have you lost your direction and happened to stray into the royal wing?"

The women surrounding James all tensed in apprehension. James only laughed it off. "Come now, we've known each other long enough to be considered friends."

"Matter of opinion," hissed Zellandus lowly to Link.

"I simply wanted to show these beauties Castle Town from the best viewpoint and I remember from when I was young that this was the best room to see such a sight."

James' words appeared to boost the women's morale for at once they all clamored for his assent.

"Oh, please let us look," said one of the women.

"James has promised that it would be most spectacular."

They continued their pleading and convincing. Meanwhile James sneered.

It was obvious to Link that James was pushing his limits, seeing how far he could go before Zellandus put his foot down. Testing his boundaries, one could say. Zellandus had three options here: allowing it, refusing, or compromise. The first would embolden James as his boudaries extended while making Zellandus look like a pushover. The second would have Zellandus appear harsh and unrelenting, perhaps even moody. If he were to compromise however, they'd see him as gracious and confident.

Link was assured when Zellandus chose the later.

"I suppose, but only for a moment. If you're all not gone in five minutes then you shall be thrown out."

The women all rushed to the great glass windows and peered out, giggling among themselves. James looked far too smug in Link's opinion. James glanced out the window and sneered at the sight of the multitude of people bustling about on the grounds below.

"I do not understand why you don't just do away with that tradition," James said snidely. "Consorting with peasants for an entire day would make anyone ill, methinks."

Zellandus shot a look at Link, but Link was far too used to these sorts of comments to be affected. He simply brushed them aside. They held no bearing over him. Actually, it surprised him that James showed such animosity. In this day and age it was unheard of to express such disrespect towards those of the lower class.

He'd been heartened whenever he witnessed one of the noblemen or women speaking cordially with the servants with little to no barriers in between. It appeared that James hadn't caught the memo.

He wondered how Zellandus would respond to this.

"Yes, so troublesome it is," said Zellandus dispassionately, and James' smirk only broadened. "Don't know why I don't do away with the gala as well. It's positively exhausting. I can barely stand being around such garish people with their crude wardrobes. More than once I felt faint at the shock. And all that black! One would think that many were to attend a funeral afterwards."

Link hid his smile behind his teacup.

This was a direct mockery on James, who Link recalled Zellandus had said wore mostly black, and James recognized this and became unnaturally tense.

"Should do away with the whole court business as well. It only serves as a boring event where people exchange gossip and give mutilated fashion advice."

Amy, who had come up beside them, began to silently laugh, concealing her smile with her hand. Wist chuckled good-naturedly while James' smile tightened.

"Hanging with the likes of him?" spoke Link quietly to Amy, half-listening to Zellandus as he went on about all the changes he'd instigate once he became king. "I hadn't pegged you as such a character."

Amy only smiled serenely and whispered back. "It is not of my own volition, believe me. I follow Nadine." She indicated with a slight flick of her chin.

Link discreetly looked over and nearly sighed as the direction Amy marked was filled with the cluster of women leaning over one another to look out the window. How was he to pick out who Nadine was?

"Blonde hair, the girl in the lilac gown. That's a lighter shade of purple."

He quirked an eyebrow at her. "I know what color lilac is."

Amy smiled indulgently. "Well most men among the peasantry would not. I had simply thought you one of them, or does his highness have you tutored? That would be just like him, to have you learned in all things frivolous rather than conducive."

"I'm surprised you picked that out. Most people here think I'm some foreign noble," said Link. Only the council knew that he was from Heron Falls. That was perfectly fine with him. He liked being ambiguous.

Amy gingerly reached out and fingered his wrist just above the hem of his fingerless black gloves. "Your hands give you away. Your fingers are rough and calloused, you haven't lived with the soothing oils that the nobility have."

Link pulled his wrist away, his brow furrowing as he remembered a similar incidence with Adra. Did he have to give one of these explanations again? "Listen, Amy…" he had to do this carefully. He didn't care for another 'Adra' incident. Or hell, for all he knew her father would seek to hunt him down. Best to tread lightly. "You're a very nice girl, better than those mindless cuccoos for sure, but," he breathed in heavily. "I'm just not-"

"Oh, you're not about to give me one of those speeches are you?" interrupted Amy, humorously, her eyes glinting with laughter. For all that she was tomboyish, she had quite the feminine appeal when she smiled.

Link may have his sights riveted on Zelda, but he had enough sense to appreciate beauty – in a platonic sense of course.

"So you're not…" he said hopeful.

Amy laughed silently. "No of course not. I'm not looking for anyone at the moment. And I can see that you're already interested in someone."

"Really?" he asked. "How can you tell?"

"Have no fear, it's not obvious. It's difficult to spot, but I can tell in the way you too easily spurn any woman who tries to capture your attention. Also your eyes tend to linger and your voice changes, not to mention you become jealous."

Wait a moment… Eyes linger? Jealous? "What?"

She smirked and looked pointedly over to the left. Zellandus stood listening to Wist, his eyes cast upward in boredom.

Link looked at her in disbelief, but Amy only smiled secretively at him.

"An interesting choice, but somehow I do not believe it will work out. As future king he would eventually have to produce heirs if he wants to keep the throne in the direct line so he'd be forced to take a mistress, and as I said, you get easily jealous, I saw the way you were glaring at the women the other day for simply gawking at him."

Oh Goddesses! He knew it had been inane of him to pine after Zelda in Zellandus. Had he done anything in his interactions with the prince that would have given it away? Had Zellandus noticed anything queer?

Below him he felt his shadow stirring in interest.

He shifted uncomfortably. He hoped the Sheikah wouldn't report this to either the prince or Brula.

"Worry not," said Amy lightly, still smiling. "I'm more observant than most, and I'm hardly a gossip."

He'd better clear up this misunderstanding before it became fixed. "Whatever you gleaned off of your observations is false. If anything I watch him because Zellandus is my charge-"

"Zellandus, now is it?" she said gleefully, and Link reddened.

Now she was really pushing it. "I do have someone dear to me, and it is not his highness," he hissed.

Amy looked at him and at length acquiesced. "Then I believe you. Perhaps he reminds you of your love?"

He sighed. "Yes, he does. They have the same eyes." Those same ice blue eyes whose depths he loved to submerse himself in.

"The eyes, how typical," said Amy.

That they may be, but they also reflected a person's innermost being. He couldn't help but see Zelda in Zellandus. He was not generally one for romance, but he figured that it was common to reference the eyes.

"Your highness, we are done here. Thank you for letting us look out onto the scenery." One of the women approached the prince and bowed.

"Your generosity is well appreciated, especially since this is a private room," said another.

Each Lady bowed before leaving the room, relaying their thanks and adoration and generally simpering. Zellandus smiled and replied as courtesy dictated, patiently willing them all to leave. He looked as if he'd like nothing better than to forgo the pleasantries and boot them all out at once.

A woman, who Link recognized as Nadine – blonde hair, the only girl with a lilac dress -, beckoned to Amy.

Amy smiled at him. "I apologize if I have embarrassed you in any way, I really do enjoy your company."

"And I yours," replied Link genuinely.

She smiled and waved in parting. "Adieu then."

Nadine had been watching and hastily ambushed her as they left. Link could see the blonde girl chatting excitedly to Amy before they turned out of sight.

James and Wist were the last to go. As always Wist smiled pleasantly at the prince, who suppressed a frown.

"Thanks again, your highness. I simply cannot wait for the festival. No matter that James dislikes it, I've always enjoyed being among the peasants. Such a bright lot," said Wist.

Zellandus strained a smile. "Not one for formality, are you?"

Wist shook his head. "Oh no, I do love formal parties, partying in general actually."

What lord didn't? Every night was a party to them. Link hadn't attended so many balls in eons. Wasn't the gala enough? But as Zellandus had drawled – more like whined – they had to have a means of keeping their guests entertained, as if daily court and events were not adequate.

James gave a short bow and left last, not even bothering to close the door. As soon as he was over the threshold Zellandus waved his arm and the doors shut on their own. Link's eyes briefly widened and Zellandus noticed.

"How else do you think I did that wall running trick the night of the gala? I defied the normal gravitational pull downwards and altered it within a small space so that it pulled horizontally," Zellandus explained as if it were entirely obvious.

He should have known. Well that ruled out any possibility of Link performing that same trick. He was apt in his ability to use magical objects, but he had no magic of his own with which to control.

"What was it you and Amy spoke of? It must have been a more pleasant an interaction than the one I had. Really, that James is so full of himself. Where does he get the gall to barge in here as if he owned the establishment? And Wist, oh does he never cease in his incessant talk?"

Link deposited his empty teacup on its saucer. "About the festival-"

"And that as well bothers me!" shot Zellandus. "Does James live in the old ages? Prejudice is vastly outdated. At least that against social class."

"I'll need to scope out the landscape, I'd like to keep in mind potential lurking spots convenient to hide assassins. You'll be fine with…" what was the Sheikah's name? "Carus, for the evening?"

_**Wise thinking hero.**_

The male voice shocked him until he realized it emanated from his own shadow. The prince's shadow he knew was a female Sheikah.

Speaking of Carus…

_**None shall harm his highness while he is in my care.**_

Carus' voice spoke volumes of contempt.

Zellandus stomped on her. "Don't be so rude!"

"He'll be fine," said Link silently to his shadow. The Sheikah did not respond, but Link felt that he shared his sentiments.

* * *

><p>Link was not a light sleeper in general. He'd been known to be late for work at the smithy on more occasions than he could count, and on free days he could sleep in until noon. Overall he cherished his sleep. To him it meant peace of mind as well as body. What made him a light sleeper now was persistence. He had forced his body to accustom itself to delve into a half unconscious state when he rested, akin to sleeping with one eye open. He trained himself to awaken at the slightest disturbance, at the softest of whispers. If anyone drew near he would know.<p>

So as the intruder accidently bumped into the chaise he'd moved next to the window where he had decided to read last night, nudging it a centimeter on the carpet, his entire being was roused. He prevented himself from shooting his eyes open. Rather he feigned sleep in order to gauge the intruder's intentions.

At the minor noise the person paused as if hesitant, waiting for any indication that he was awake. Link faked heavy breathing and the invader continued forward.

Link was facing away so could not discreetly observe him through slit eyes, but he sensed him, slowly inching nearer.

He inconspicuously tensed as he felt the intruder loom above him, unmoving. He shifted his hand beneath the covers ever so subtly and peeked one eye open.

From his peripheral vision he detected something moving above him, long and thin like a hand reaching out… or a knife.

He took action.

Quick as a snake he struck. Grabbing the intruder's wrist, he shot out of bed and pulled him down onto it. The man was caught by surprise, but soon recovered. Twisting his wrist, he slipped out of Link's hold and rolled off the bed, landing on the opposite side.

Link snatched his sword from its sheath and placed himself before the window. The intruder froze, his form immersed in shadow. Link's heart accelerated when he saw the covering over the man's face. It was a white mask, which shone stark in the moonlight. Its jawline curved inwards and downwards into a sharp point so that it resembled the features of a bird of prey. There were two black slits where the eyes were to be designated and additional black swirls were drawn downward from the center in soft feathery patterns.

His memory flashed back to the duo assassins that had come for Zellandus and he immediately took an offensive stance. If this figure worked for the same employer then he had to apprehend him.

"Who are you! Reveal yourself!"

The intruder was trapped like cornered prey. Link stood between him and freedom. He did not reply and Link found himself furious at his continued silence.

"Surrender and you might be able to barter for your life. Make this more difficult for yourself and you'll end up the same as your friends," he forewarned.

The intruder shifted in uneasiness. He took a wary step backwards and then dashed, but rather than make for the window or attack him directly, he ran for the door, jerking it open and darting through.

It took less than a second for the shock to wear off before Link made chase, sprinting after him. The invader virtually flew down the corridor, his cloak flapping behind him. They passed the doors to Zellandus' personal chambers and continued onwards down a set of stairs.

The figure moved nimbly, his dark cloak helping them to blend in with the darkness. Link had a hard time keeping him in sight. They were nearing the end of the royal suite and Link worried about the multiple different corridors that extended from there. If the intruder got too far ahead he might lose them and if he followed down the wrong corridor he'd have to waste time backtracking, time that the intruder would use to escape.

The invader burst out through the double doors, shocking one of the guards on night patrol.

"Stop him! Do not let him pass you!" Link called out.

The guard brought up his spear and readied to charge the intruder but was left gaping. The intruder had foreseen his action and jumped high in the air. He touched down on the upper portion of the wall and rebounded off with an aerial flip. Once he alighted again on firm ground he went on running, unhindered.

Link shot past the bemused guard. "Alert Brula! Quickly!"

He hadn't the time to make sure the guard did as ordered as he continued his pursuit.

The intruder made all sorts of sudden twists and turns, darting into the different corridors without any preamble as if he had the layout of the castle already memorized. He bound past a number of guards who acted only as obstacles with what little good they were doing.

Suddenly the sheen of a sword flashed ahead. The figure ducked and rolled as Commander Deb exited from the corridor dressed only in loose breeches and a form-fitting sleeveless shirt. She looked as Link did, as if she'd just got out of bed. Her feet were bare and they pivoted swiftly as she swerved in to attack once more.

Now with two in on his tail the intruder ran with more haste.

"Link, to the left!" Deb shot at him.

Link nodded and veered down another corridor. He read through her plan. Deb intended to herd the intruder into a dead end. He twisted down another hall and another.

The intruder saw him and made a sharp turn to the right, where the corridor abruptly ended. It worked. They had him cornered, there was no place to go.

As always, it was never that simple…

It seemed the figure had known what they were doing the moment one pair of footsteps had faded off. He ran headlong towards the wall and elicited the same maneuver as before. Leaping up he landed deftly against the upper reaches of the wall then pushed off and somersaulted, cloak billowing out like the great wings of a bird. Link and Commander Deb could only watch as the figure soared over their heads and landed behind them, once again at a run.

"What was that?" Deb called, shocked and no doubt formulating plans to incorporate that little stunt into her soldier's training regime – not that any of them would be able to perform that maneuver.

"He's heading to the second floor!" said Link.

They soon reached the mezzanine, a landing that divided the two main floors of the castle. A group of soldiers stood at the base of the set of stairs, having been alerted to the presence of an intruder. Without pause the figure vaulted over their heads.

"What are you fools standing around for? After him!" the Commander yelled as she hurled over the balustrade and landed at a crouch. Link followed close behind, ignoring the guards. They would prove useless against this adversary. Already their armor weighed them down. He and the Commander had the best chance at catching him.

Link's heart pumped frantically as they flew straight through the presence chamber, hastily approaching the grand doors that acted as the main entry into the castle. And exit out of it. The doors were heavily bolted with guards protecting it from both sides.

Much to Link's misfortune, one of those doors was open, and the guards were speaking to someone standing in the doorway.

It proved easy for the figure to leap over their heads as they stared on startled.

"Dammit!" shot Deb.

Link shoved aside the guards and was hit with the crisp scent of the night air. He frantically searched his surroundings but he could see nothing. He saw no indication as to where the intruder had gone. The grounds were extensive, he could have hidden anywhere.

He turned back to the guards standing in the doorway, clearly bemused. Lord Foulkes was with them and looked just as shocked.

"Did you see which way he went?"

Slowly they shook their heads no. Lord Foulkes cleared his throat, gripping tightly to his ornamental cane. "Has something come up? What is the meaning of all this?"

He appeared ruffled, and Link didn't blame him. He'd probably just returned from his excursion to the countryside and was tired and thusly thrown off when upon his return something like this happened.

Link gnashed his teeth and peered into the night, listening for the assassin.

"I want the grounds searched, everyone form a party and get to it. You! Tell the gatekeepers to keep alert, no one gets in or out, I also want the watch on the battlements doubled," Commander Deb shouted out and her men obeyed at once.

"What's all this now?"

Brula appeared, walking slowly down the steps and taking in the ruckus.

Lord Foulkes shrugged, suppressing a yawn. "I have no idea. Mr. Link hasn't said a word of use to me."

Link had moved away and was now investigating the exterior of the castle in case the invader had decided to trick them by climbing on the roof.

"Find the assassin. See where he went," he whispered under his breath.

His shadow swelled.

_**I cannot.**_

Link frowned. "Why not?"

_**They have warped. I cannot follow.**_

Great. Just great. "And why didn't you stop him?"

_**There was no killing intent. I shall only take form when a life is in peril.**_

_How inconvenient. _He didn't say this out loud for fear of insulting his Sheikah watcher. The Sheikah might get back at him by relaying his conversation with Amy to Zellandus.

"Are you harmed, my lord?" Brula addressed lord Foulkes, who simply ran a hand through his tussled hair, having come lose from his silk thong.

"Yes yes, I'm quite alright," he said snappishly. It was as if his mood had suddenly soured considerably. "Now if you don't mind, I'm to bed. I've just returned from a long journey and am in dire need of some rest."

Brula nodded. "Sleep well then."

Lord Foulkes jerked his head stiffly and strode off, his cane tapping the stone with every other step. Commander Deb was still issuing orders and demanding reports every five minutes, which had the guards clearly flustered.

Link peered once more into the darkness then turned back to the castle. There was nothing he could do. There was no point in joining the search. The intruder was long gone.

"I think it best if you check on the prince," Commander Deb voiced in her pause between berating the guards. "You're his bodyguard. You never know if the assassin purposefully drew us away so he could go back and make another attempt at his highness' life."

Link doubted it, but acquiesced. He rushed back inside to make it seem as if he was worried when truly he was not. Zellandus had Carus to protect him, and this assassin seemed different than the others. For one, he went after Link instead of the prince, and second although he wore a dark cloak and mask, they were fashioned differently than the initial assassins who'd both donned keaton masks with black attire. This one had a hawk mask and his cloak had been less coarse and more like silk, he thought, remembering its lustrous shine in the moonlight. Was he then a higher level than the others? He appeared more advanced, able to slip by them easily.

If only he'd been faster he could have caught the invader and forced the truth directly from him, but for now he was left with more questions than he liked to ponder.

He hated not knowing things.

* * *

><p>Zelda appeared in the foyer of Foulkes manor in a flash of light. She stumbled to one of the chairs and sat down on its lush cushion, tearing off her mask and holding her head in her hands.<p>

That had been too close.

Two nights ago she had visited the castle in search of Link. It was him. It was really him! Not that she'd actually doubted it, but seeing him in person after so long had taken a toll on her mind and heart.

She had come to him in the dead of night as he lay sleeping and watched him, all the while fighting against the urge to reach out and touch his face to confirm that she wasn't imagining things. That one night should have been the end of it, she'd already stayed for hours longer than she'd intended, but she couldn't help herself from visiting him the next night and the next. It was predictable that she'd eventually be caught. She hadn't seen that chaise standing there right by the window she used as entrance and had felt relief that Link had continued sleeping after the noise she'd made. But he'd been awakened and had smartly waited for the proper moment to strike.

She thanked the Goddesses for her swift reactions, not to mention she'd been keeping practice with her training. She had to be in top form to eventually face Ganondorf.

It reassured her that the Sheikah hadn't recognized her, but they undoubtedly felt something toward her. She should not have risked being around them for so long. For all she knew they'd break free of her spell on their own, and then there'd be hell to pay.

She shot up from her seat and marched upstairs to the study. She was vaguely surprised that Jeffrey wasn't there attending to her, but the hour was late and even he needed to sleep sometime.

Zelda broke open Dasril's cabinet and poured herself a generous glass of wine to help calm her nerves. She wasn't by any means a heavy drinker but there were times when the situation called for it. She wouldn't douse herself in the liquid, but just this once she drank a glass more than she was used to.

She nestled down on the settee and with a snap of her fingers the hearth came to life, roaring in front of her, a comforting presence.

What was worse was that she'd have to go back to Castle Town. She'd left the money from her withdrawal locked up in a chest in the room she was renting at the inn. She'd be cutting it close, but if she left at dawn she'd make it on time for the exchange. She didn't want to think about Queen Helerra retracting her offer simply because she delivered the money late.

She mused, her thoughts drifting towards Link. He was handsome as always, his features well defined. She knew so little about him in this life. She'd have to procure some information eventually. She had no doubt that he remembered his previous lifetimes, why else would he have been drawn to the castle? But she sincerely hoped that her spell extended to him as well, that he'd forgotten her like the rest of them.

"Oh, Link…" she sighed despondently, covering her face with her hand.

As much as it hurt she knew he would be happier without knowing her.

It was for the best.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: A bit late, but here it is. Sorry for my tardiness. Along with exams I've had the death of my aunt to cope with. She passed away early Easter morning.**

**Thanks to my lovely reviewers: allyssagrace16, EllaSwanson, ObscurityProject, Arc. en. ciel, PrincessPeach, Bloodspire, Turmoiler, eclair. belmont, and Generala!**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

Link wore a black leather plate and guards over his shoulders, forearms, and calves. Not his favorite color, but he had to admit it went well with the white collared shirt and trousers, gold thread lining the hems in intricate swirls. His most favorite feature, one that suited his tastes, was his cape. Meant for decoration, it was a heavy deep forest green fabric with a clasp at the front that unlatched with a small twist so it would be easy to quickly discard if something did come up and he was required to fight. He hoped sincerely that it did not come to that.

He considered his image in the mirror, his vivid blue eyes more cheerful than they'd been in a while. Perhaps it was because he was reminded of the last big party he'd attended with his fellow villagers. It had been both brilliant and awful. Everything before that dance with Adra on the bridge had been enjoyable, but afterwards…

He clenched his teeth at the reminder of his suffering. The pain of remembering, both physical and emotional, had been all too unbearable, but he'd rather go through that for every rebirth than to remember nothing at all.

He sighed, his hands balling into tight fists then relaxing. He raised one hand and placed it flat against the wall next to the mirror.

He closed his eyes and imagined Zelda's pale heart-shaped face, so soft and beautiful. Why couldn't he be rid of that yearning in his heart? Wasn't she with him now in Zellandus? Was it because she had changed so drastically that she seemed a different person altogether?

He had tried to keep Zelda and Zellandus apart in his mind, but it was difficult. Subconsciously he was not ready to discard that idea because if he did… then that meant that Zelda did not actually exist in this lifetime.

Only time would tell if it was truly her.

A knock sounded at the door.

"Yes?" he called hoarsely then cleared his throat and looked up.

"Mr. Link, do you need assistance getting ready for the festival?" said the attendant that had been assigned to him. A man name Haines, if he recalled correctly.

"No thank you. I am almost finished." He brushed himself down, taking a moment to flatten his fringe.

"Well, if there is anything at all you require..."

Link rolled his eyes in annoyance. "No there is not."

Haines paused at Link's short tone then answered hesitantly. "Very well then."

He listened as footsteps led the attendant away. He could have been a mite more pleasant, he thought in retrospect, but he'd reversed to his old habits unknowingly. When he'd been king it had been both aggravating and useful to have people waiting on his every need. He'd been difficult to deal with and had probably been the major cause of stress for more than one unlucky soul in the castle – more possibly the entire staff, plus the guards.

But Link was largely independent and didn't like others intruding for the most trivial things. He simply didn't need all the activity in his life on top off court dealings.

Link fixed his cuffs and pulled on a black pair of leather gloves. He combed once through his hair and fitted his sword at his waist.

Passing one last glance to confirm he looked presentable, he left the room.

He made his way smoothly down to the presence chamber where Zellandus along with many others were grouped and chatting idly. Zellandus was surrounded by a small retinue of guards, more for show than necessity. Still it offered a small comfort to Link knowing that many people were looking after his highness' welfare.

At his appearance, Zellandus quickly waved him over. Zellandus was too busy being fussed over to properly say anything to Link. Brula stood before him, face crinkled in a frown, her wrinkles more pronounced than they'd ever been, her walking cane poised threateningly on the floor as she murmured to Zellandus silently.

"-you were taught etiquette for a reason. You have manners, so use them. It's bad enough that you've tarnished your image before the nobility. You don't need to sully it further in front of the rest of the kingdom. The peasantry makes up the majority of Hyrule. Above all give them a good impression of yourself and earn their support."

Zellandus gazed at Link and it was the most pitiful look he'd ever seen on the prince. Link merely shrugged and gave a small smile. That was the Sheikah for you. Even talking softly they could render one to tears.

An announcer called out. "Everybody line up for procession."

The procession went as follows: a retinue of guards would lead out of the castle and into the town square, followed by the royal council, after which came Prince Zellandus himself, flanked closely by Link and Commander Deb who'd stay back to keep close to him. Brula will have taken Deb's place among the council members. After the prince came the foreign dignitaries and important persons then came the remainder of those nobles who'd opted to join in the festivities.

It was all very ceremonial and elaborate. Lord Kincaid had planned the entire thing to make it look as impressive as manageable. After all, presentation was what matters most. With this show of order it might allay any existing rumors that the prince was in fact an incurable slob. Now if only Zellandus was able to display that charm that had been ingrained in him to his people then he'd win their vote of confidence at once.

Link took his position as lord Kincaid yelled himself hoarse to a bunch of nobles who seemed to think they deserved to head the procession. They were soon led back to their spots by some of the soldiers, snorting in indignation all the while, their snobby noses jutted in the air.

At last the lord deemed them ready to go.

Link saw Zellandus' shoulders slump as the first guards marched out on the bailey.

"He has to give a speech. He doesn't very much care for those," said Deb, exuding the utmost seriousness now that they were moving. She'd been constantly alert since the episode the other night with the assassin. Two attempts within a fortnight of each other did not bode well.

She'd taken to patrolling the royal wing herself after dark, which accounted for her less than pleasant mood currently. With Brula's extra ward of protection on Zellandus' quarters, Link opting to sleep in the antechamber, and Carus ever in his shadow, Zellandus was the most protected he'd ever be.

Link recalled the assassin and frowned. He'd been so close to catching him, and at the last moment he'd escaped. If only there was some sort of tool that would have allowed him to run faster, or if only he'd brought his item pouch with him he could have shot a deku nut at him with his slingshot or used his boomerang to daze him.

Next time he'd be prepared. If they could catch just one of those assassins and take precautions so that they didn't die all of a sudden like the first two – whom he suspected may have had poison pills stowed away in their mouths – he could glean some information concerning Ganondorf. Who else could have sent them but him? It seemed more intended to taunt than anything. Ganondorf was probably just trying to raise their hackles.

Slowly the great doors that barred the entrance to the castle grounds opened and his eyes were suddenly assaulted with color. Cheers rose from the massive crowd that awaited them at the sight of Zellandus. A podium had been erected which oversaw the entire square. People were pushing against each other as they massed as close to the podium as they were permitted. A regiment of guards formed a semi circle barring their approach. Others – mostly children and teenagers - had gathered on the rooftops in order to see better. Practically the entire town had come out to celebrate. Link was moderately surprised that the square could hold so many people and still have some space leftover. It had been built enormous for a reason.

He followed Zellandus up onto the podium and stood back as Zellandus took his place at the front.

Zellandus spent a moment to look over his people then opened his mouth and began his speech. "My dear citizens of Hyrule…"

Link blinked in mild surprise as the first thing that came out was not some bland remark that could be taken as an insult. Rather, Zellandus was anything but bland, he was… almost humble with the way he presented himself. Link listened with increasing awe as Zellandus spoke fondly of the past king and elicited more than a few tears and sad groans from his people. A few called out shouts of sympathy and Zellandus acknowledged them with his head bowed and a raise of his hand.

From the corner of his eye he saw Brula watching Zellandus with a stern eye.

Ah, so it was she who had written the speech for him. They'd most likely gone over it numerous times until it was drilled to memory. He wouldn't doubt it if Brula had also sought to drill in some of his actions and the appropriate level of emotion for the proper segments. Goddess knows Zellandus had difficulties exuding anything but boredom at social functions. Although Link had to admit, in this moment he proved to be a decent actor.

Zellandus then went on about fair Hyrule, its land and its people and all that was great about it – a fairly long list, perhaps exaggeratedly long as he noticed Brula's hand upon her cane twitching a fair bit. Some of the foreign dignitaries were also shifting a bit impatiently at this point. The people however were practically in awe of him.

Link smiled subtly. Zellandus did not appear the least bit nervous, neither did he stutter or trail off in forgetfulness as some tended to do. Why ever did he not like speeches was beyond Link. His people were already well won over.

His oration reminded him of Zelda, who actually adored speaking directly to the populace. They used the same modicum level of enthusiasm – although Zellandus was a bit more dramatic – and both locked away any inner emotion that could interfere with how they presented themselves. Even in the direst of times Zelda had stood tall and firm. He'd been the only one who'd ever bore witness to her incertitude behind closed doors, however mostly without her knowledge. Even while in his presence she'd shut herself to an extent. He understood what it meant to be a strong leader, but most of the time she hadn't even allowed herself to express her true emotions when in solitude.

As Zellandus spoke with increasing reverence as he mentioned the great Goddesses of Hyrule – they had to interplay somewhere in his speech after all – Link determined to do his job and surveyed the crowd. He'd scoured the area the other day for the most optimal places for assassins to lurk or that would provide the best coverage for snipers. His eyes immediately searched out those niches, but was unable to detect even the glint of an arrowhead.

He felt his Sheikah alert within his shadow, and although he couldn't sense the other Sheikah who were wandering around the square as his shadow could, he still thought he saw on occasion a minute flickering of the light in some places. If they sensed any ill intent they'd report back at once, of that he was certain. But he couldn't rely solely on the Sheikah. As formidable as they were they could miss something just as easily as a normal Hylian.

His eyes briefly breezed over a few heads and then darted back as he spotted someone familiar. He froze.

Suddenly he felt the immense urge to shift nervously but resolutely tamped that down. He quickly finished his scanning then swept his eyes back to Adra and Vrel who were among the crowd and appeared to be whispering heatedly to each other. They had undoubtedly seen him, and he was more than likely the subject of their fervent discussion. Vrel would no doubt find the predicament humorous, while Adra would be stunned beyond belief, possibly confused, and most definitely peeved.

Link beseeched the Goddesses as their eyes connected with his and he gave them both a teasing smirk. As predicted, Vrel's eyes widened before they crinkled in muffled laughter, while Adra looked to be fuming and returned to speaking harshly to Vrel, earning more than a few annoyed glances from the nearby men and women. Luckily their conversation blended with the combined noise of a shifting crowd and other murmurings going on as people commented to each other. They heard none of it at the podium, Zellandus' voice rose above everything else, projected well throughout the square.

Zellandus' segmentation and pitch indicated that he was nearing the end of his speech. At the last words uttered there was silence then all round applause. As bothersome as he was, the people loved him. Link thought that if they were a nation who elected their leaders, Zellandus would win for sure – probably with over ninety percent of the votes too.

"Glad that's over with," Zellandus murmured in a normal tone, and Deb sighed at his flippant attitude.

Zellandus walked to the edge of the podium and jumped off, performing a flip midair in his descent. As he landed the applause heightened to an ear-shattering volume.

It was enough to burst his eardrums.

Link and the others opted to take the stairs down. Wouldn't want to ruin Zellandus' show.

Now came the irksome part, interacting with everybody. Many people headed directly to Zellandus in order to meet their prince up front and to congratulate him on a speech well done. The majority however went off to enjoy the festivities. Music started in the background, enhancing the lively atmosphere. Link's eye was caught by a group of youths about his age wearing uniforms with gold and blue insignias denoting them as academy students. A stage was set up and some of the students were practicing their magic as they prepared to perform.

Link drifted to Zellandus' side. He kept a look out for Vrel and Adra and was for once relatively thankful for his short stature as it hid him amongst the many tall heads. It was too bad that Zellandus rose over many of those heads and stuck out like a golden beacon.

It wasn't too hard for Vrel and Adra to locate him and navigate their way over.

Zellandus pretended to be cheerful as he was swarmed by a group of men and women. A designation of four guards were assigned to him at all times and hovered nearby, eyeing the citizens cautiously, while Link and Deb directly flanked Zellandus.

"Pardon, Link," Zellandus nudged him during a break in his conversation with an aging Hylian. She rambled on ignorant of his lack of interest. "But are you well acquainted with those two coming directly towards us? I dare say that woman seems to be in a rage about something. Hate to get on her bad side, eh? Some poor fool's in for a beating."

How eloquently he put it. Some poor fool! And Link was that fool.

He caught Adra's eye and instantly his shoulders tensed.

Uh oh, looks like she was really mad.

Perhaps he should have thought about the effect of his actions in the long run. He should have considered what Adra and Vrel would think when he'd first agreed to be Zellandus' bodyguard. But as usual he'd gone with the flow. What could he say? He was a free spirit who acted impulsively more often than not. Retrospection was not exactly his forte. If they wanted someone who calculated every single minute little move then they should have befriended lord Kincaid. He practically went mad when things did not go as planned, everything had to be clearly organized. Even now he was migrating around the square looking down his long pointed nose as he oversaw the events and making sure everything was in order.

"They're from my village," said Link to the prince, who nodded sagely.

"A spurned lover? Best to get it over with. Better now than later when she's had more time to stew. Trust me, some closure would do you both good."

Link frowned. "We don't need closure," he said flashing a quick look at both his friends. "Just a bit of explaining."

A firm hand patted his shoulder in sympathy. "Right," said Zellandus. "That's another way to put it. Goddess awful timing she has. Where you're going to find any privacy for your little spat in this hubbub is beyond me."

"Neither Link nor I shall be leaving your side, your highness," said Deb. Her brows pinched downward as she turned to Link. "I suggest you get this over with quickly. We can't afford any distractions right now."

In other words, 'if you don't have your full mind on the job you'll be nothing but a burden'. But he couldn't just get rid of them. They were tied too firmly into his life to so easily push away.

Adra practically stormed her way over to them and by her face 'in a rage' seemed to be putting it lightly. She was near eruption.

Link mentally fortified himself. This wouldn't be good.

"LINK!" she jabbed her fist in his stomach. If it weren't for the leather protection he'd probably have really felt that. From the look of it she used her knuckles to dig in. She must have been bordering on murderous.

He swore her fierce intent gave her the eyes of a Sheikah.

"Why're you here? Where've you been? And-" she stopped, eyeing the prince who did the perfect enactment of an uninvolved bystander, only half-listening to the group of men who'd come to talk to him. "And what did you do?!"

It was that last question that got him. As if he'd done something illegal, horrific, as if that would be the only reason for him ending up where he was. Nothing else could have placed him in position of royal bodyguard except for some accident instigated by some foolhardy action on his part.

_Well_, he thought crisply.

"Well…" Link trailed.

Goddesses, was that all he could manage?

"You disappeared for two weeks! _Two weeks_! We didn't know where you'd gone, what happened to you, if you'd been mugged and left for dead, if you'd gone home, or whatever else!" she shrieked.

Link winced. They were attracting stares.

"Listen, Adra," he started, trying to quiet her down.

"Not looking too shabby, Link," said Vrel suddenly, eyeing him up and down and admiring the quality of his outfit.

He hadn't even noticed Vrel's approach, Adra had taken up the entirety of his vision. She was that overwhelming when she was mad.

"What have you been doing?" asked Vrel, an expression of interest on his face.

Link smiled weakly. "You remember how we were talking about temporary jobs?"

His words settled on them and Vrel grinned. "You must have had some good references. What are you supposed to be anyways?"

He tipped his head towards Zellandus. "His majesty's personal guard."

As if just realizing that no more than a few paces separated her from royalty, Adra's eyes bulged as she let out a small 'eep' and covered her mouth. She stared at Zellandus, suddenly frozen to the spot.

Link sighed abjectly.

Vrel gave him a curious look. "You must have a good explanation for this one."

Releasing another sigh – great Farore he was starting to sound like Zellandus – Link supplied a small summary of the basics of what led up to this point, omitting a large portion of the details, adding a few plausible fibs and encoding the whole thing in vagueness.

Nevertheless, Vrel and Adra bought it.

"So you happened to meet his highness at the Temple of Time and he recognized you because your father used to work as a soldier and from there he had you tested and then assigned you as his bodyguard?" said Vrel in confirmation.

Hah, no.

Link nodded. "That's the gist of it."

It was true that his parents had once again unsurprisingly been absent from his life once more. He'd apparently came to them in Heron Falls after having fallen down the great falls themselves at the age of five, with no known origin or information other than his name to identify himself with. For all he knew his father could have been a soldier. In any of his lives he'd always had to go through the laborious process of much guesswork and searching to find his true genealogy, and rarely did they ever discover any connections. In the end he surmised it simply wasn't worth the effort.

He'd resigned himself to accepting that he just didn't have a family, ever.

At least this helped support Zellandus' claim that they'd known each other previously. People would automatically infer that they had been childhood friends.

"Oh Link, you've found out who your parents are. I'm so happy for you," gushed Adra, forgetting all about any previously standing anger. She pulled him into a tight hug and Link could barely see over the white-blond locks of her hair.

He rolled his eyes and patted her lightly on the back. "Yeah, I did."

Another lie. Zelda would have been frowning at him in disapproval by now. His eyes strayed to Zellandus who was engaged in a conversation with another bunch of citizens all wishing him luck and wellness. By the way his pointed ears were twitching Link could assume he'd been paying attention to Link's conversation. Hopefully he'd been taking in all the lies so that he'd be able to support his false claims.

Deb seemed to also have been listening in casually. Link was not sure how this would affect her impression of him. She gave no indication of her inner thoughts. Her features were set in a smooth expression, serene and vigilant.

"You were that impressive huh? To be chosen as the prince's own bodyguard," said Vrel, a bit stoically.

Link pulled away from Adra. "Apparently so. Now, what have you two been doing other than running yourselves crazy trying to find me?"

Vrel once again beamed at him. "Oh please. We worried for about a minute or two then shrugged it off. We knew you'd be fine wherever you were."

Link laughed at the light jest, however Vrel's mannerism indicated that they'd been very worried about him.

"I got a job as the aid of a chemist," said Vrel. "His workshop is near the Keaton's Den. You should see it. He has all sorts of different plants and fungi that I've only read about. He also has small metal flakes, and solutions. I've been helping him make potions and running errands. Adra's been helping out with Odol, the innkeeper." Vrel nudged his shoulder proudly. "Nothing as interesting as what you've been doing. It's obvious who's the major breadwinner in our group."

"You must be paid a fortune to be able to afford that," said Adra, eyes raking over his outfit.

Link opened his mouth to reply then paused. Slowly he twisted his head to look at Zellandus who was conveniently deep in conversation and had covertly inched a few steps away.

"Ah, these clothes had been tailored for me as a gift from his highness. My actual _pay_ comes later in the week," replied Link smoothly.

That was something that he hadn't thought about. It seemed that Zellandus had neglected to discuss the issue about his wage, and Link himself had been too preoccupied to care at the time. How _thoughtless_ of him. He'd be sure to bring it up the next time he and the prince had a chat.

He sensed more than heard the rumbling of amusement from his shadow. Now he understood why Zellandus felt the incessant need to stomp on his shadow every once in a while. It would do no good, but at least it gave the illusion of doing some harm to the Sheikah.

His sleeve was grabbed as Adra suddenly latched onto him. She wasn't looking at him however. Her head was turned in another direction. "Can we…umm… can we meet the prince?" she requested hesitantly.

Link smiled rather wickedly. Maybe he'd unnerve Zellandus for a bit. The prince would only become more wary at Link's behavior now that Link was reminded that he should be paid.

"I'm certain he'd love to meet you," he said boisterously, steering Adra and Vrel over to Zellandus.

"Your highness," Link interrupted the peasant who'd been currently talking with the prince. Zellandus methodically turned around and plastered a beaming smile on his face, jittery hands clasped tight behind his back.

"Link, my faithful devout congenial retainer. What is it that you require?" said Zellandus.

_Congenial heh? Only in public…_

To the prince he smiled brightly. "What I require comes later," he said with firm meaning behind his tone. "I'd like you to meet my friends, Vrel and Adra."

The prince looked over them and gave the appropriate slight nod as they bowed at the waist. "What quaint names. Tell me, are you enjoying yourselves?"

Adra rose and beamed at him, her excitement shone in her tone of voice. "Yes, of course!"

Vrel nodded in reply. "I've never been to such a huge party."

"Have you had the chance to enjoy any of the games yet?"

Her dress swaying as she shifted, Adra shook her head. "Not yet, your highness. Although I have been eyeing the archery game. I've tried it before but I've yet to succeed in hitting all targets."

At this Zellandus' eyes twinkled. "Really? I've been meaning to give it a go myself. Perhaps I could assist you with your archery? That is, if you require the aid. I don't mean to boast, but I am quite the good shot."

If they'd been in Heron Falls amongst family and friends, Adra would have squealed her joy. But since they were currently surrounded by a massive gathering of strangers, and in the presence of the prince, she settled for an elated smile. "That would be wonderful, your highness!"

"Then shall we?" Zellandus offered her his arm and she looked about to swoon as she eagerly took it.

The prince headed towards the same archery game that had been set up outdoors upon their first arrival to Castle Town. Zellandus peeked over his shoulder, caught Link's harsh stare, and tensed before facing forward.

It was somewhat amusing to see the prince acting as if he were in trouble.

Commander Deb shook her head despairingly. "That boy. Latches on to any and all opportunities that enable him to show off. If only he showed that much passion in meetings." She strode off after him.

Vrel shrugged as he walked beside Link. "Well, at least Adra's happy."

Link nodded absently.

They passed a group of children playing bombshu bowling, and Amy with Nadine, James, and Wist, watching the academy student's magic performance. Nadine and Wist had their eyes glued to it raptly and cheered after each stunning feat. Amy clapped politely while James looked wholly unimpressed. He caught Link's eye as he walked past and sent him a sly grin.

Link tipped his head and revealed a smirk of his own, before looking forward. "Vrel, I know I've been negligent in my friendship with you these past few weeks," even before they'd arrived at Castle Town he'd felt some space between them. "Perhaps later we could go for a drink at the pub?"

Vrel groaned. "You could have at least sent word to us, you know. Adra was out of her mind with worry for you."

Link mentally flinched, guilt welling up within him. "To be honest I didn't quite know how. I hadn't really had the time to give you any notice either."

The taller boy raised an eyebrow. "You don't know how to send out a courier?"

"Next time I'll ask around," replied Link curtly.

Silence fell between them. Link noticed that Deb had pulled ahead to walk next to the prince, fulfilling her duty as his protector and to give Link and Vrel a bit of privacy.

He glanced around, once more checking his surroundings. No matter that he was with his friends now, he still had a job to do.

He noticed some of the nobles and dignitaries standing off in their own little groups snobbishly, but most others flitted around and interacted joyfully with the peasants. Some even roamed around in the company of their personal servants who'd been given the day off. With no barriers between they acted as friends rather than employers and employees.

It was good that they had a chance to celebrate the upcoming blessing ceremony. The day of the ceremony itself was to be one of silent reverence. No partying would ensue, no joyful singing or dancing, no fun and games, it was to be a day of fasting and prayer. And this was not only for the prince; all of the citizens participated as well.

It was an exciting time for the Hyruleans as much as it was a solemn one. With the blessing of the Goddesses their new king would officially be declared.

He knew the routine well, but it wouldn't be the same as any other time he'd experienced this. If only…

"Link, I'm glad with all that you've accomplished," said Vrel, his tone quiet.

Link inspected him, startled. He smiled wryly, thinking Vrel wanted to keep things smooth between them as much as Link did. It was not worth their friendship over.

"Thank you, Vrel. I hope you do well as an assistant," he replied.

For the next half hour they spent their time watching Zellandus practically claim the archery stand, educating Adra on all the things she didn't already know. As good as she was with the bow and arrow, she'd not had the refined tutelage that Zellandus had grown up with, so was not privy to all the little tricks. She took his advice as gold.

Later on the music became livelier and many people began to dance. Zellandus hastened to pull Adra into a quick swing, and Vrel soon followed when he asked a pretty face to oblige him. Only the guards, Deb and Link were left to watch on the sidelines. Their duty didn't allow for them to join in.

Link felt highly attuned to his shadow and tensed at every flicker, just waiting for an alert to sound. So far nothing had occurred.

* * *

><p>Dasril slammed the door to the inn, effectively shutting out a good portion of the noise outside.<p>

He glanced around.

A great chandelier hung from the ceiling, posh carpets covered the floor, and paintings of various heroic figures hung on the walls. Seeing as how it was one of the few inns bordering the town square and relatively close to the castle, it was appropriately suited to those of the upper class. They were the only ones able to afford the price and location.

A bored looking boy dozed at the counter, head cradled on his open palm. Dasril marched over and rang the bell.

The boy jerked awake with a cry and looked around dazedly before his eyes settled on Dasril's imposing figure. He jumped to attention and straightened his tunic.

"Welcome sir to the Goddess Plume inn. We-"

"I do not care for your chatter," snapped Dasril, leaning forward. "Tell me, is there anyone under the name of Midraga in residence?"

The boy cleared his throat then recited. "Our patrons have the right to anonymity. We respect the privacy of our patrons and will not hand over any information to any-"

Dasril clenched his teeth. "Do not be difficult. It is a simple question I ask. Tell me if a woman registered as S. Midraga is here."

The boy gulped audibly. "I-I'm sorry, sir, I'm not authorized to divulge that information."

He banged his fist on the table in annoyance, causing the boy to jump in fright. "Where is your employer? Clearly you are having difficulties understanding my inquiry. Someone of greater intellect is obviously needed."

"Ross! What are you doing? How dare you insult our distinguished guest!"

A thin rat-faced man had entered from the back room. His eyes raked quickly over Dasril's severe appearance and overall look of wealth and Dasril literary thought he saw rupees flash in the man's eyes. Quickly he bustled over, pushing the boy aside behind the counter.

"Please excuse him. He's new and doesn't quite know how to treat people of greater importance than he," said the man, sending a scathing look over at the boy who notably flinched back. He then beamed at Dasril. "How am I to serve my lord today?"

Dasril wrinkled his nose at the simpering display and scoffed. "You may start by answering my question in a straightforward manner."

The innkeeper waved and nodded empathically. "Ask away, ask away."

"Is there anyone currently residing here under the name S. Midraga?"

"S. Midraga? I'll look it up right away," the innkeeper said, moving over to a shelf and dragging out a massive ledger. He spread it out over the counter and flipped over half the pages, then swept through them until he arrived at a more recent date. He followed his finger as he sifted through each entry.

Dasril leaned his arm on the counter, tapping his fingers impatiently. He narrowed his gaze on the boy, who shrank back, then turned his sights back to the rat-faced man. Human, he presumed by those round stubby ears.

"Aha! Listed as you said. S. Midraga, room 3A. Rented it about a week ago. Usually I'd reserve them for visiting people of importance, but I remember this one had a certain way about her, and spoke with a pretty little lilt to her language."

He didn't want to guess whether that language was her usual noble accent or if he meant that in terms of money.

Without another word Dasril started out the reception area and located the stairs, proceeding up them quickly. He easily found the room on the third floor and only propriety stopped him from barging in.

He forced the rapid pace of his heart, accelerated from the brief exertion, to calm and breathed in deeply. He tapped thrice on the door with his cane and awaited an answer.

After a short moment the door creaked open. Once she verified who he was, she swung it wide to allow him entrance. He strode in and closed it behind him. Zelda pulled off her hood.

He leaned his cane against the bureau then tugged off his gloves and tossed them onto the vanity.

"Really," he said, smirking. "Midraga? Still going by that old name?"

Zelda sniffed. "He was my first horse. It makes it easier to remember and stay consistent."

She moved back to her chair at the window and carefully slid apart the curtains, opening a slit in order to peer out. Dasril crossed the room and stood above her. She merely continued watching as if unaware that he was there, a mere few inches away from her.

"How did you find me?"

Dasril inclined his head. "I figured you'd want to watch the people make a mockery of themselves. Festivals are for fools and lazy persons, an excuse to avoid work and labor. There were only a few places that provided the best view and that could also easily hide you from the world."

Zelda smiled, neither disagreeing with his statement nor agreeing with it. "Deductive reasoning at its best."

"Quite," said Dasril.

Zelda appeared enraptured by the events taking place below. Dasril grew annoyed. Even when she'd been the feather-brained princess, she had never let her mind wander so much.

He nudged the curtain aside, opening a wider gap from which to see out of. Languidly his sharp brown eyes scanned over the people below, taking everything in with one sweep. Many of them were dancing happily, but Zelda's eyes were not trained on that. He followed her gaze to see what had her so mesmerized.

It was that man, Link. He stood beside Commander Shira, watching the dancers, or more specifically, the prince who was dancing among them. He admired Link's integrity and his adherence to duty, but when he really thought about it he found Link lacking. Nevertheless, Zelda's focus was riveted.

Dasril forced back a scowl and yanked the curtains shut.

She shot him an irritated glare. "Dasril."

"If you so enjoy watching, why do you not go down and partake in the festivities yourself. Or do you desire to live vicariously for the rest of your life," he said scornfully.

Zelda pushed back a loose strand of hair behind a pointed ear. "I cannot. You know I cannot. It is not worth the risk. As long as I do not exist in this world I am safe to…"

Safe to what? Dasril's eyebrows furrowed. What was so important that she had to erase her existence? What was she searching for?

He didn't ask her straight out because he knew what her reaction to that would be. Instead he surprised her by grasping her gloved hand and pulling her up.

She stood on her feet, curiously watching him.

He tugged at the hem of her glove, suddenly wanting to feel her skin on his. She started to pull back.

"Don't…"

He acquiesced and contented himself with simply holding her clothed hand in his own. He enlaced their fingers and she briefly flashed her eyes down at their intertwined hands and back up, brow raised in humorous inquiry.

"You do exist, Zelda," he said lowly, and squeezed her hand in emphasis. "To me, you do exist."

She gazed at him sadly. "To you and to you only. But it is not a full existence. No other knows who I am. I acknowledged the results of my actions long before I carried them out. I am fine with this."

He didn't think so. He caught her forlorn gaze and pulled her closer, his other hand brushing against the small of her back. He would show her. "Dance with me."

From within the room the volume of the music was muffled giving it a softer tone, perfect to move slowly with. In some way he'd make sure she was able to enjoy the festival herself.

She hesitated for a moment then smiled faintly, accepting. Smoothly they matched the steps of a serene slow dance, Dasril steering her carefully away from obstructive furniture.

So small was she, compared to his height. So delicate in his arms.

He'd been anxious ever since her close escape from the castle a few nights prior. He chuckled amusedly at the memory. He'd been taken by surprise when she'd flown completely over his head. However she managed that he couldn't fathom, but he suspected some form of magic, or rather some brilliant acrobatic move since he hadn't sensed any magic at work from her. That could be plausible, he'd seen her training a few times, some form of fighting that expressed agility, speed, and strength all in one.

He looked down at her and caught her eyes closing tiredly, but still they danced.

He thought about Link, that it had been he who had almost caught her that night. Everything she worked for could have been exposed by that one nuisance of a man, or worse, she may have been thrown directly in prison for their idiotic assumption that she was an assassin.

He was not entirely sure why she had been at the castle that night, but he suspected it had something to do with Link.

He held Zelda closely and she leaned into him, allowing the music to carry her feet. He swayed them gently.

The man may be more of a nuisance than he'd thought. Perhaps it was time to do away with him.

* * *

><p>Vrel felt weird as he stumbled away from the dancing, kissing his partner on the cheek before she was giddily swept away by some other man who wanted his turn. He wasn't happy, but neither was he upset, he was somewhere far off and couldn't quite distinguish what he felt.<p>

He plopped down on a bench to quell the dizzying sensation in his head. All that twirling had made him giddy. He wished he could have brought Marle to this. She'd have loved the entire thing, and possibly would have done her best to dance every song.

It had been a little over two weeks and he missed her. He was beginning to miss much of Heron Falls the longer he stayed away. City life was too big for him. It was too loud and crammed. He didn't think he'd like to live here indefinitely. He was anxiously awaiting the moment they moved on with their journey. He still wanted to see the Gorons and Kakariko village. Adra did too, but she was not as eager as him to leave, content to stay as long as she pleased in Castle Town. Not to mention they'd both been worried about Link so had had little time to actually fully enjoy Castle Town. But it seemed he'd been doing alright.

It was shocking, seeing Link in those clothes, seeing him standing up on that podium behind the prince, that had been just… just wow. He understood why Link had done it. If he'd been offered a position like that he would have jumped at the chance. But how in all of Hyrule did he become _that_ good with the sword? It didn't make sense. Adra had been classified as an expert with the bow in Heron Falls, yet even her skill level didn't compare to the people at Castle Town, the true masters, as Vivienne had pointed out. Shouldn't it be the same for Link? He was decent with the blade, better than many in their village, but how could he compare with the people here? Was there some difference between him and Adra that he hadn't figured out?

He'd been practicing with the sword just as long as Link, if not longer, but then how come he wasn't as good? Did it have something to do with natural talent? In which case, logically he should be superior. He was larger and tougher, was a sharp instincts and quick reactions, while Link was lithe and small. It just didn't add up.

He looked over at Link who was watching the prince, all seriousness, none of that boyish playfulness that he remembered from before. Something had changed in Link, ever since his birthday celebration, he had shaped up into someone more knowledgeable, someone more in control. Vrel didn't know if he liked this new Link or not, but he was willing to see what would happen. Maybe when they went out for drinks later he'd be able to question him.

"Well, I hadn't expected to run into your handsome figure again so soon."

Vrel jolted at that familiar sultry voice that he'd committed to memory and caught the vibrant gaze of Vivienne Dalousi. He gaped as he stared at her. From her vivid red locks falling in loose curls around her head, to the tight pale blue dress she wore, the bodice hugging her trim waist and bust so that certain parts of her were emphasized, she looked stunning.

She smiled at him as if nothing else in the world would have pleased her more at that moment than the sight of him.

She glided over and sat down next to him. Vrel felt his voice catch in his throat, suddenly unable to speak.

"Don't you look dapper today? Are you on a break, hon? You don't mind if I join you do you?"

He shook his head, no.

Her smile broadened. "Good."

He fought for control over himself, but it was a losing battle. Not even Marle had ever made him this jittery. It was so nerve wracking he didn't know what to say or what to do.

Luckily, Vivienne proved herself to be an assertive woman. She easily took the reigns of the conversation.

"Are you having a good time? Be sure to have loads of fun, it's not every year that a new monarch assumes the throne. You might only experience a party like this once more in your life and by then you'll be too old to properly take part in it."

"Are _you_ enjoying yourself?" was the only thing Vrel thought to say. He flushed, realizing he was just reiterating her words back at her. But for the life of him he was having trouble thinking for himself.

His heart rate quickened as Vivienne gazed at him sidelong. "I'm pleased that you asked. Yes, I am. But I would derive even more enjoyment if you were to take me to dance."

At her words, Vrel leapt to his feet and valiantly offered her his hand. She smiled and grasped it and Vrel easily pulled her to her feet. The heels she wore gave her extra height, yet he still loomed over her. His stomach fluttered as he lead her to the center of the square, where the people were milling around, about to dance.

"I'm not too good…" he murmured, gingerly placing his hands where they were supposed to go. He was vividly aware of the sudden reddening of his face and ears.

Vivienne laughed. "Nonsense, hon. I saw you with those other girls and you were remarkable."

Confidence boosted, he took the first steps of an intimate slow dance. He hoped desperately that she couldn't feel him trembling. He was half elated and scared out of his wits to be dancing with her.

She patted his forearm. "Relax. Let the music soothe you, enjoy it."

It was her voice that was more soothing to him and he let it flow over him freely, immersing himself in her tranquil drawl.

"There you have it."

They danced through the song without saying another word to one another. He hardly realized when the song ended and the next began. It was as if he were in a dream. Her voice prompted him to wakefulness.

"Tell me about yourself?" she asked smoothly, her eyes darkening with the heavy atmosphere.

Vrel licked his lips. "What do you want to know?"

"About your life, your important people, friends, family, about you."

This was an exchange conversation. If he spoke about himself she'd be obligated to reveal contents of her life as well. That to him would prove much more interesting.

"I live in Heron Falls with my parents and five younger siblings. Two girls and three boys. We own the local apothecary," he paused here, suddenly embarrassed at his humble origins. He remembered Vivienne handing over her ring to Adra and the women saying that she must have been a noble or a woman of wealth to have done so. How could he compare with that?

"Go on," she urged, and Vrel swallowed.

"Er…ah, I'm friends with Marle, Adra, Leaf and Link…" There, he'd answered all her questions - awkwardly at that. What did he say next?

"Link? Is he the man over there?"

Vrel glanced over and nodded. "Yes, that's him."

"He looks rather boorish. Doesn't know the meaning of fun, does he?"

He laughed and grinned easily. "Sometimes he can be that way. But generally he is more lively than the rest of us. He's just out of sorts at the moment, is all."

Vivienne nodded, her eyes sparkling in the fading evening light. "Hmm, but he is talented. Why else would the prince have chosen him as a bodyguard? There must be no other person who proves to be his equal. Doesn't he look dashing the way he stands so seriously keeping watch over his prince? I wager any girl would leapt at that bit of scrumptiousness."

He didn't much like the way she was gazing at Link and quickly spun them away, eliciting a laugh from her.

"Jealous are you? Not a very flattering emotion, hon."

Jealous? Of Link?

Maybe he was a bit, but then Link seemed to be getting the best out of life. They were practically equal, he and Link. It was unfair that Link did better. He got to be the prince's personal guard, he got to stay in the castle, whereas Vrel had never so much as stepped a foot inside the grounds. Meanwhile he and Adra had to keep their rooms at the inn, and although it was comfortable and the price promised not to run them dry anytime soon, it still wasn't the same.

"But…" said Vivienne. "It shows that you know what you want. The next after that is ambition. If you know what you want, you should do whatever possible to attain it."

He knew what he wanted. He wanted Link's skill, his sudden notability; he wanted more than Link could ever have. And there was also...

Vivienne pulled his attention back to her. "I can help you. One must never have to rely solely on themselves, they should have others to depend on."

"Vivienne?" Vrel said, bewildered.

"My name… it sounds so pure on your tongue."

Vrel momentarily froze, breath caught.

She leaned in close, partially pulling him down to her. It wasn't that great of a distance, even without the heels she was strikingly tall. "You can depend on me, I assure you, as I know that I can also depend on you. If ever I need a _favor_, I can be sure to ask you, right?"

Without hesitance he replied, "Yes. Anything you need, anything that I can help you with, I'll fight storm and fire to aid you."

How could he not for such a captivating beauty?

The song slowly came to an end and Vivienne pulled away, smiling alluringly, her eyes flashing darkly.

"I'll hold you to that," she said suavely. "I must go now, but don't fret, hon. I'll be seeing you again real soon."

She cupped the back of his neck and brought his head down, placing a chaste kiss on his cheek. She then turned and strode away. Soon she had disappeared into the crowd and Vrel was left standing there, all his mental functionings at a standstill. He gingerly touched the area of his cheek that her lips had so recently frequented, then looked over at Link who was speaking with that knight lady.

He frowned. Link didn't really care about them did he? It hadn't taken him a second thought to drop him and Adra in favor of something better, as if they were disposable.

Vrel felt his heart pumping with anger and fisted his hands. He stormed down the street away from the square and away from the direction of the Keaton's Den. He was looking for a pub that was open. He wanted to drink by himself. Link could find his own pub or dip into the castle stores for all he cared. He just wanted to be alone.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Thank you everyone for your condolences. It's been a rough time.**

**Thanks to all of those who reviewed: EllaSwanson, zeFluffleTruffle, Generala, Flick98, ObscurityProject, Death Waltz, PrincessPeach, allyssagrace16, Bloodspire, Dee, and ShadowQueenMidna!**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 10<strong>

It was a few days after the festival and currently Link was accompanying Zellandus to the Goddess temple for weekly mass. An hour of boredom, the prince had called it. Link felt the truth in that. Even he was having difficulties keeping his mind from wandering. His gaze travelled lazily over the architecture of the temple, lingering for a moment on the stained glass windows, admiring them fleetingly, before moving on to the arched ceiling and then to each of the decorously robed priests and priestesses performing the ritual.

He felt guilty for not paying more attention to the proceedings, they were showing their devotion to the divine Goddesses after all, but still he couldn't help but find it rather dull.

The mass was spoken in ancient Hylian, so unless they were well educated, of noble background, or like Link who had been there when it had been the common tongue, very few people understood what was being said. They were required to sit, stand, bow, and kneel at specific intervals, as they recited hymns and psalms to the playing of an organ.

Link stood at the end of the pew reserved for the prince and his retinue, not quite taking part in the service, but not omitted either.

He'd caught sight of Adra earlier attending the mass, seated somewhere in a back pew. Vrel was not with her. He'd always been a bit impetuous. Link had been worried when he'd lost track of Vrel at the festival. They'd promised to meet for drinks and despite how easily he'd disregarded his two friends in the past, he had not forgotten about his intentions to make amends.

He'd correctly assumed that Vrel had gone back to the inn, fatigued. The festival had stretched well into the night and Vrel must have had no energy to want to go drinking with him. All that dancing really did take a toll on one's endurance. Adra had informed him the next day that she'd found Vrel slumped asleep in his room. They'd all been busy since and hadn't had the time to really visit one another.

He hoped that Vrel would be open to meeting up with him sometime later. From the looks of things though, that might not happen for a while, at least not until everything calmed down. Once the blessing ceremony was complete and all the foreigners and Hylian nobles left for home, then there'd be more time. Or, as was more likely, once this whole mess with Ganondorf was over.

It still bothered him that his nemesis had not acted. It wasn't like him. Link had a feeling something big was about to occur. He was anxious to find the Augurer and deal with him soon.

The Augurer… How droll. He'd never known Ganondorf was interested in titles, other than his kingly one.

He decided to start out once the ceremony was completed. His journey would begin then. The problem was, however, that he wasn't quite certain what he was supposed to do. Usually Zelda was the one who'd inform him on what was needed in each time period. Whether it be collecting necessary holy artifacts or powering up his weapon, there had always been some path for him to follow, which usually led him to each individual temple. This time however there was nothing. He knew of the Augurer and little else. Hopefully the Augurer would reveal his true intentions soon. In any case, he couldn't sit around waiting indefinitely. If nothing came up then he'd visit each temple on his own, to clear them out of vermin if nothing else.

He didn't like it. How everything was so changed from the norm. Even when Hyrule was in chaos, he'd had direction then. Here he was all but blind.

A sudden pulse jarred through his body. His shadow flickered madly and the area around him became cold. He glanced over to Zellandus and they exchanged dark looks. He'd felt the same thing. Outwardly he didn't react, but Link saw alertness enter the prince's eyes.

His shadow spoke silently to him.

_**Beware. Death approaches.**_

That could only mean one thing. His Sheikah sensed killing intent. Could it possibly be more assassins? But why strike now when Zellandus was surrounded by other people?

He caught Brula's gaze and she indicated to the door with a slight nod. Link took this as his cue to covertly slip away down the isle, hand already reaching for his sword. The Sheikah and the guards would watch over Zellandus, he'd take care of this menace.

He attracted a few stares along the way, but he kept his pace steady to hide his urgency. He opened the door to the temple as silently as he could and slunk outside. He mentally apologized to Nayru, Din, and Farore for leaving the mass early. He'd return later to beseech them.

As winter approached the days became shorter as the night extended it's boundaries over the sky. It was just past evening and the glare of the sun had faded into twilight. He squinted in the feeble illumination, searching for the danger.

_**Quickly hero.**_

"Where is it?" he asked.

He felt a dim pull on his conscious as the Sheikah prodded him towards the source. Link ran, following the inclination without a second thought.

The sensation told him to go upwards and he immediately pulled out his hookshot and aimed for the roofs. The point thudded into the woodwork and he released the coil causing him to be yanked up at a rapid pace. He then grabbed onto the ledge. He jerked the hookshot free and hoisted himself onto the worn shingles. From there he ran from one roof to another, sensing the pull strengthening as he drew closer to the threat.

It was too close for comfort, merely a few houses down from the temple. Any nearer and the assassin would have been close enough for sniping range. And arrow could have easily found its mark on Zellandus the moment he exited the temple.

He was fast coming upon the place where the pull seemed strongest. With one final leapt he landed on the slope of another roof and dashed up the side then vaulted over the crest where the two sides met.

What he saw next stopped him in his tracks.

* * *

><p>It was by chance that she spotted them. At that precise moment as she was finishing up her supper, she happened to look out the window. If it had been a second later they would have passed unnoticed for sure. Zelda at once shot to her feet. Abandoning her meal, she took in the pair of cloaked forms leaping across the rooftops.<p>

She hastily pulled out her own deep blue cloak and pale white falcon mask from under the bed and donned them, then rushed out the window, at once on their tail. She kept some distance between them as she followed after the odd figures. She didn't want to make assumptions, but their suspiciousness couldn't be ignored. They practically reeked of ill intent and Zelda mused on all the things they could be after. The only reason people snuck around concealed like that was either to steal, spy, or kill. She was spurred onwards as she thought of what Dasril had told her.

Zellandus had been targeted by assassins. Her pompous, arrogant, idiotic little brother had almost been killed. If it hadn't been for Link…

No. If Link hadn't been there then Carus would have taken care of them in an excessively violent way. Perhaps her brother hadn't been in any imminent danger, but to have them come so close to him, to have been endangered at all, even if he was well protected, was enraging.

No one from below noticed or looked up as the cloaked figures flew over the rooftops. The oncoming darkness hid them well, and their footsteps were as silent as a feline's.

Zelda stopped and quickly ducked behind a chimney as the two figures halted on the next rooftop. Cautiously, she peered around and saw them waiting silently, still as statues. They neither spoke nor acted, just stared ahead.

She jolted back as they turned toward her. She pressed her back against the bricks, breathing silently. Zelda poised her ears and listening for any indication that they'd continued on.

Slowly she reached into her leg holster and withdrew one of her hidden knives. She angled it around the corner and watched its reflective surface. Her eyes widened when it revealed the vacant rooftop.

A cold chill suddenly slithered down her spine and she looked up.

She spun and made a quick draw of her weapon, bringing it up just in time to block the attack from above. She was surprised to see the face of a keaton staring blankly at her, his sword in contact with her own. He drew back sharply and swung again at her head.

Zelda ducked and swerved around, flinging the knife at him. He dodged and swooped in to attack. Zelda retaliated by bringing her ninjato down in a slicing motion to meet his blade. Her weapon was shorter and better used for close quarters whereas this person's was a full-length broadsword. The figure parried, then twirled his sword in rapid figure eights in order to send her backing up, creating more room. With that he launched at her.

Zelda spaced her feet apart and braced herself, tensing, sinew and lean muscle bunching in readiness. The figure drew near and she leapt over him, her light form soaring through the air as she flipped above it and landed directly behind. Quickly she bent into a crouch and, balancing on her fisted hands, swept her leg out, successfully knocking the figure off his feet. She followed up with grabbing his ankle and pulling him to her, her ninjato raised and prepared to strike him through.

Her opponent swiftly recovered and rolled over, kicking her with his other leg. Zelda was forced to release him as they both jumped to their feet and stared at one another. All at once the figure attacked and Zelda brought her ninjato up to defend.

For a while there was the constant ringing of metal clashing, each blow jarring her arm.

They didn't speak as they battled, and Zelda found it quite perplexing. Usually her enemy was all boastful talk. Maybe, like her, he didn't want to give any information away.

There was something off about the figure. Diligently she sensed him and felt his hollow presence, as if his soul was empty, as if he had no thoughts of his own. He was not quite human but not quite monster either. Something in between… But that was impossible, wasn't it?

What would have prevented her from outright killing the being was gone when she also felt the evil emanating from him. One of Ganondorf's minions. Whatever new sort of creature he'd created it couldn't be good. She had no intention of allowing it to live and see all that it was capable of. It was best to get rid of it before it had a chance to prove itself even more troublesome.

Throughout the battle Zelda was constantly aware of an imminent surprise attack. While one kept her busy, the other had gone missing, hiding somewhere in wait, anticipating an opening. Or… had he gone ahead to administer the evil deed while Zelda was distracted?

She didn't have long to wait for her answer as something flew over her head just as she coincidently decided to duck and thrust. She felt the rush of air as the other figure grabbed for her and she immediately darted away, given her some space and a few seconds to think.

She considered her two opponents as they prowled toward her, broadswords raised dangerously.

At least for right now Zellandus was safe. While they focused on her they neglected him. She'd see to it that they wouldn't reach him at all.

There was always the possibility that there were more of them out there, but for right now she had no choice but to deal with these two. Afterwards she'd see to her brother, and Goddesses willing, whoever so much as touched him be damned.

She flipped her blade in a reverse hold then reached for the scabbard at her belt. Pushing a small knob that released it from its clasps, she held it aloft, drawing both ninjato and scabbard before her in an X.

This time she took the initiative. Fire blazed in her eyes as she lunged. She fought instinctively, she didn't need to think about her footing or which attack to use next, there was only action and reaction.

Her two opponents were built compared to her slim form. They excelled in their strength and large bodies, which no doubt gave them confidence. However, it was a common misconception that the larger the opponent the greater advantage that person had over another and a higher chance of winning. In truth, oftentimes it was the one who was more agile and quick, with better maneuverability and experience on their side, who ended up being the victor. A fact that both she and Link had proved numerous times, usually to cocky bastards and in front of many spectators.

Her scabbard offered her a better range. It was nearly a foot longer than her ninjato, the metal hard and sharp. Typically it was used to deceive the opponent into thinking it held a longer sword, which meant that they'd also assume that it would take longer to draw. However, its length was also used for another purpose.

As she fought both the figures at once she pushed a button, which released a catch on her scabbard. Smoke billowed from the end and covered the area in a thick screen. While the masked figures scrambled around blindly, Zelda bent low beneath the fog and slashed at one's ankles. The man howled in pain while the other backed away quickly before Zelda could get to him.

The first one fell, grasping his ankle. Zelda took this opportunity to plunge her ninjato into his neck, killing him instantly.

The man gurgled, frantically grasping at the hilt and spasming before he fell limp.

The fog had lifted enough by now that the other figure could see her. Without hesitance and without care for his fallen comrade he renewed his attack. His sword found its mark and Zelda cried out in pain as her shoulder was torn open.

The wound bled onto her cloak and she lamented over the torn fabric. It would take a skilled seamstress to sew this sort of material back together. That thought bothered her more than her injured shoulder did.

The man came at her again and she faced against him, staring coldly at the face of his keaton mask. She feinted then jabbed at him with her ninjato, her scabbard simultaneously blocking his sword as it came down on her. She flipped her ninjato around and stabbed, tearing through his cloak and missing flesh by a centimeter as he pulled back.

Flipping her ninjato back into her reverse hold, she charged and punched the hilt directly into his stomach. The figure staggered back, but Zelda hadn't finished. She brought her leg up in a powerful roundhouse then jabbed downwards with the point of her blade.

The figure was caught in the side, the ninjato having punctured his left lung and Zelda was repulsed to see a black substance pooling from his mouth. He really was a disease of Ganondorf's making.

She yanked her weapon free and watched as the figure slowly perished before her. She quickly searched the area to make sure that no bystander had seen then approached the body. As she looked over to the first body she was hit by an intense feeling of shock.

It had disappeared.

In the place where the first dead being had fallen was a dispersing cloud of black and purple smoke.

Zelda's eyes widened as she remembered Dasril's word.

_Died…in a flash of smoke…_

She froze as she realized the implications of all of this. She had yet to go to the Sheikah village and investigate but decided that would be her priority now. Something like this could not wait.

The pounding of footsteps made her head snap over and she swore her heart stopped at that moment.

Link stood still, slightly panting and gazing in surprise at her then at the dead body beneath her and at her bloodied blade.

Zelda sensed the darkness in his shadow and knew what had brought him to her. Goddesses, let him not draw the wrong conclusions.

* * *

><p>Link was stunned.<p>

Before him stood that same person he'd encountered the other night. He was concealed in that same shimmering cloak and white bird mask. But that was not what was most shocking about him. What had Link confused was that the man was standing over what seemed to be a dead assassin, one of those figures who'd come after Zellandus, and by the looks of it he had clearly just defeated the assassin.

Weren't they on the same side? Wasn't the hawk masked one a different ranking of the same group of enemies?

He didn't know what to think. From the looks of things he could easily assume that the bird-masked figure was an ally, but he also didn't neglect to consider that this could all be some elaborate set up meant to trick him.

_**The evil has gone. There is no killing intent now.**_

Still Link didn't let his guard down just yet. Just because this person had no intent to kill didn't mean that he was not dangerous in other ways.

"You again?" he hissed, drawing his sword.

The figure slowly got to his feet and backed away. Right before he reached the ledge of the building he turned around and shot off, leaping to the next rooftop.

Link gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on his sword.

In a flash, he bolted. He chased after the figure, reminded acutely of that similar instance in the castle. Once again he was following after the tail ends of the mysterious being. But this time he did not intend on letting him escape.

He delved his free hand in his pouch as he ran and unearthed his boomerang. Drawing back, with a mighty arm swing he flung it at the retreating figure. The man dodged but was not quite fast enough as the boomerang caught him on the forehead, knocking him flat.

Link hurried over the rooftops and was dismayed when the figure quickly recovered. He pushed himself up and sprinted on without a single glance backward.

Link caught the boomerang on its return and flung it once more. This time the man was better prepared and he managed to evade it completely. Link attempted twice more to hit his quarry but both times failed. This person was quicker than he'd expected.

He ran with almost supernatural speed and at times Link thought it looked as if he was flying across the rooftops.

Link was just waiting for the person to head down onto level ground. They were headed in the direction of one of the walls that surrounded Castle Town. A jump between the ledge of a building to the parapet was impossible, the height and distance was too great.

Link kept his attention focused for when the figure would drop, already coming up with a plan to ambush him from above before he could seek some form of shelter.

But the man showed no signs of stopping. He kept going, his pace increasing. Link's breath caught as he neared the last rooftop before the parapet and leapt.

It was as if he flew upward and glided over the walls. Nothing else could explain it. His cloak fluttered out, catching the wind beneath it.

Link was forced to halt at the edge of the roof, angry and bewildered.

"Catch him!"

He felt his Sheikah shoot out of his shadow and gleaned the dark patch as it raced across the gap and up the wall.

Link jumped off the roof, landing with a roll. Without pause he got to his feet and darted to the gates.

* * *

><p>Zelda steadily glided down, narrowing her form in order to hasten her descent. She landed in the high reaches of a tree beyond the town, but still it felt too close. She leapt again, allowing her cloak to carry her to firm soil and as soon as she touched down she was off in a sprint.<p>

Of all things! Why did Link have to be there? Why did he have to find her again?

She wouldn't put it past him to barge out the town gates and continue following her from there. She would have to find a semi secure location in order to procure enough time to activate the warp stone.

Just then she sensed a dark presence behind her, not evil but not good either. She didn't have to look to know he had sent the Sheikah after her, perhaps to slow her down while he caught up.

There would be no use running now.

The Sheikah came upon her swiftly and latched onto her shadow.

Zelda stopped and pulled out her warp stone. Brushing across it with her thumb, she activated it and a small flurry of wind blew around her, pulling her away from the area.

She felt the Sheikah forced to detach itself from her and then the sudden loss of energy as the magic sapped some of her power. She stumbled as she appeared in the front yard of Foulkes manor, supporting herself against a tree.

She waited for that dizzying sensation to recede before trudging up to the front door, acutely aware of the pounding in her head and the pain in her arm that had been suppressed until now.

Jeffrey was on her as soon as she entered through the front door, an expression of shocked worry formed on his face. He rang for another servant and then hastened to her side.

"My lady! What has happened? Are you alright?"

Zelda groaned as her head panged even more. Damn that Link and his boomerang, and damn her for not anticipating that he'd try to attack her in some way.

"I – I need to sit down," she whispered, eyes squeezing shut. Her hand pressed against her aching forehead where she could feel a bump forming beneath her fingertips.

"Of course. Come. I shall take you to your room," said Jeffrey in a softer tone. He hoisted her by the arm and suddenly paused.

Wondering what the abrupt stop was for, Zelda fluttered open her eyes and saw that his face lacked all color. She noticed the train of his stare and tried to avert his attention.

"Once I can sit down I would like some water…" she said lowly.

Jeffrey seemed to snap out of it, blinking at the sight of her blood, and nodded hurriedly. At the same moment a young serving girl had entered the foyer and gasped upon seeing Zelda's condition.

"Tessa, if you would please gather a bottle of red potion, some rags and bandages, and tell Stephen to heat some water for the Lady Zelda. Also bring her a glass of cold water."

Tessa quickly recovered from her stupor and nodded. "Yes, I shall do so right away." She hurried out, possibly near bursting with the need to gossip to the rest of the staff.

Jeffrey assisted Zelda to the stairs and once again paused. "Can you make it up? I can always send for some helping hands to carry you, my lady."

The offer was nice, but Zelda was against it. Being touched more than she was now might only heighten her pain. Not to mention they'd have to wait for those helping hands to arrive and she felt she'd make it more quickly if she took the stairs by herself.

"I can manage."

Jeffrey didn't seem so sure and held onto her arm the entire way up to ensure that she didn't fall. His eyes kept grazing over her wounded shoulder, his lips perceptively thinning.

It was not the blood that bothered him, nor the sight of torn flesh. Rather it was the repercussions that her injuries would wrought. Once Dasril heard of this, and there was no doubt he would, it was futile to keep anything that occurred in the mansion that was anything of importance a secret from him, he would throw a fit like no other. Oh, he wouldn't burst and hurl items against a wall like others might. He was much too proud for such an unseemly display. No. He'd be cold and glaring. His magic would churn and boil, creating an insufferable atmosphere that would very well choke them all.

The staff would have no choice but to walk on eggshells around him for the next few weeks and even then they would not be completely safe from his wrath. He may not turn violent, but he had no compulsions against yelling and lashing out verbal threats.

If he could not reel in his temper on his own, Zelda would have to force him to. She could remember the last time she'd returned injured and Dasril's reaction to that. It was as if he cared for her more than for the reason that she was his princess and thereby obligated to care.

It didn't take them long to arrive at her bedroom, even though it felt as if it had been hours. Jeffrey gently lowered her onto the divan and removed her cloak and mask. He tore the sleeve of her gown, further revealing the wound, then set about inspecting it.

They hadn't a doctor in residence, nor any other form of medic, red potions usually sufficed, but Jeffrey did have some medial knowledge in the art of healing.

Zelda stiffened as his finger brushed against the wound as he assessed how deep it was. No matter that she'd sustained worse, it still hurt quite a lot.

"A single red potion should fix this up. If we hadn't those you'd be needing stiches," he said somberly.

She nodded, eyes fluttering close as she bore the pain until Tessa returned with the items.

Jeffrey gathered her cloak and folded it, placing it on a chair with the mask on top.

"The cloak, it needs to be repaired. Someone who is competent," she said lowly.

The butler nodded. "I know someone in the market who works with silk. I shall ask her, if it pleases you?"

"Thank you."

Silk was perhaps the closest fabric that her cloak resembled. Of course, she didn't possess just any old cloak. Roc's cape had been woven with magic intertwined in every thread. She hoped that the repairs wouldn't adversely affect that magic in any way.

She had found the legendary cloak on one of her travels. A foolish nobleman from Labrynna had purchased it off of a travelling merchant without knowledge of all that it was capable of. Zelda had sensed the dormant magic in the object, so slight that only a powerful being would have been able to detect it, and had presumed immediately that it was no ordinary accessory. It had taken a good amount of bartering for Dasril to acquire it for her. He had never asked why it was so important that she attain it, and she could only assume that he thought it was because of its color changing abilities. On one side it appeared pale blue like a clear sky, but flip it inside out and the color morphed to a deep blue dark as night, even the inside of the cape changed color whenever it was switched.

Zelda never mentioned to him how it enabled her to soar through the air or even lent her speed when she ran. It wasn't quite flying, but it was as close to it as she could get. Flying without aid had never been a magical forte of hers. Actually it was a pretty rare ability. In her current life she knew of only one person capable of it.

Soon there was a knock on the door and Jeffrey opened it to reveal Tessa, arms laden with bandages with a potion nestled on top. A yound manservant appeared alongside her, carrying a bin of steaming water. The last person who entered was another girl who bore a pitcher of water and a glass. Jeffrey quickly ushered them over.

He directed them where to place the items then took a rag and began to clean Zelda's wound before they sealed it with the red potion.

Jeffrey's brow crinkled as he bent to his task, a bead of sweat appearing in his hairline. "Elva, send word to lord Foulkes. Alert him to lady Zelda's return and of her injuries."

Zelda winced as the rag brushed against the tender wound. "Please, there's no need to tell him of this." She didn't want him to get angry over a little flesh wound. "I shall be healed by the time he has come."

Jeffrey didn't relent. "My lord deserves to know. You reside in his house and nothing is kept secret from the master."

If they'd known she was the princess then he'd be obligated to keep silent. Her sacrifice, however, meant that she could do nothing about it. Dasril's word was the law here as far as they knew.

Once the wound had been cleaned out, Zelda was fed the red potion. She drank it down then washed out her mouth with a glass of water. A cold compress was pressed to the swell on her head and Jeffrey enveloped her in a thick warm blanket.

She could feel the healing potion take effect as her cells began to reconstruct themselves, multiplying rapidly. Soon her wounds were no more.

"Rest, my lady," said Tessa softly as she combed through Zelda's golden locks, working to detangle them.

Zelda complied. The less haggard she appeared at Dasril's arrival, the less brutal he'd be with the servants.

She succumbed to sleep within minutes.

* * *

><p>She dreamt of nothing as she slept. So rare was this that she determined to enjoy it for as long as she could. Blessed darkness filled her mind and for once she was at peace. It didn't last long however as a low voice interrupted the calm moment.<p>

Zelda's eyes fluttered softly as they opened to greet the dimly lit room. A hand was on her face, caressing her cheek back and forth, and a deep voice was speaking lowly with another wizened one. It was hard with anger.

As consciousness returned she could correctly place that voice. She saw him sitting on the divan next to her, hissing berating words at Jeffrey who stood nearby staring stoically ahead at the wall and bearing the rebuke as if he was deserving of it.

"Dasril, do shut up, my head hurts," she muttered, garnering their attentions.

This managed to both shut him up and stop his ranting at Jeffrey. The poor butler visibly relaxed and was more than happy to be ignored until called.

Dasril swung his gaze over to her, his face a mask of apprehension. "Leave us, Jeffrey."

Jeffrey looked as if he wanted nothing but to rush away as fast as his feet could carry him, but like all decent butlers he controlled himself and glided out the door, closing it firmly behind him.

"I apologize, Zelda. I did not mean to cause you harm. Are you well?" said Dasril gently, grazing his hand along her cheek.

Slowly she sat up, pushing the blanket down as Dasril helped, supporting her back.

"I'm fine," she murmured, doing her utmost to ignore the pounding in her head.

She saw him frown at her, his brown eyes darkening.

"Goddesses, what happened? Where were you?"

Zelda snapped her head up, recalling the altercation with the masked men. "Zellandus, is he alright? You were with him just now, is he safe?"

"Calm down, Zelda," Dasril soothed, rubbing his hand over her back. "He is safe and well. Is there a reason for this sudden concern?"

Sighing, Zelda felt profound relief. "There were assassins. Two, with keaton masks and dark cloaks."

She saw his eyes widen then subsequently narrow in thought. "And you are sure they were assassins?"

She nodded, pressing a hand to her pained forehead. "I could sense something…foul from them. It was a hollow feeling. I'm not sure what they are. They didn't seem inherently evil, yet evil surrounded them. I am certain that they were after Zellandus' life." She inhaled in preparation for the next part. "There's more. After I killed them they disappeared in smoke, just like the ones you mentioned before."

Now he really looked appalled. He wouldn't think she was lying, but even she had to admit this was hard to wrap one's head around.

Suddenly she was being laid down, the blankets pulled up to her chin.

"Rest and finish healing, Zelda," he said stiffly, fixing the blanket around her. "I heard you took a blow to the head. Red potion has its limits you know."

He got up and strode toward the door, boots clacking against the floorboards. Zelda pulled herself up onto one elbow.

"Dasril, promise me you'll keep him safe," she said, causing him to pause at the threshold.

Dasril looked over his shoulder at her and something glinted in his eyes, some emotion that she could not name. It was as if they'd gone totally blank the way he gazed at her. After a short while he nodded his assent.

"I promise."

He shut the door as he left, leaving her to her solitude and once again she was on the verge of sleep.

She lay down on her side, nestled snuggly on the cushy upholstery.

She thanked the Goddesses for Dasril. There was something comforting about having another know her secret and being able to act in her stead. Heavens know what would have become of her if she'd had no one to count on this entire time since she'd cast her spell.

Considerably eased, she once more allowed herself to be pulled into a deep slumber.

* * *

><p>"Allow me to verify... You want to retract your order and leave this bodyguard alone?"<p>

_Not at all!_

But unfortunately, Dasril had little choice. "That is correct, my lord Xerthos."

They were again all convened in the hidden room at the lowest reaches of the castle. The walls smelled of mold and mildew and he could hear the distinct scampering of rats through little tunnels in the walls. He sniffed and wrinkled his nose in distaste, faintly nauseated. Lord Xerthos, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind or care that he was surrounded by filth and grime, not even as he lived here constantly while his followers had the option of leaving at the end of the day. This just showed what lengths he'd go to keep himself hidden. Other than those rare moments he was away on a mission, he rarely left the chamber.

Dasril briefly wondered how he was able to keep himself so clean and considered asking for tips.

As usual, he, Reth and Alceolus were present during the meeting. Vivienne was absent and Dasril found her lack of attendance annoying. It meant that she was out doing all the important tasks while they were trapped with nothing better to do than twiddle their thumbs.

Xerthos had his back to him, looming over a rickety counter and seemingly examining the pages that were splayed on it, depicting spells and curses written in a foreign script. Dasril couldn't help but wonder what secrets those pages held.

"Is there a reason for this sudden switch? You were adamant before about sending those Black Corps out to kill that bodyguard. Why have you changed your mind?" demanded Xerthos.

It was a good thing that Dasril was ready with an answer. "Link is no longer a concern. It seems I've…overestimated his capabilities. Everyone else might fall for his grandstanding, but I've seen through him. Really he is no better than the average soldier. It is all for show that they have him there." He used the most unconcerned voice he could manage. "Also I've come to a realization. If Link suddenly went missing or turned up dead, what do you think would happen?"

From his corner, huddling as best he could away from all the grit and filth, Alceolus scoffed, his plump face scowling in discontent. "Good riddance to him, I say. Always thought he was a bit above himself."

Reth was floating languidly midair, levitating mere feet above the floor, arms crossed and head cocked. He suddenly smiled. "Ah, I see what you mean."

Alceolus turned his scowling gaze on Reth. "What does he mean? What significance does it have?"

Xerthos had yet to say anything, but Dasril suspected he'd come to the same conclusion as well.

Dasril felt he had to elaborate for Alceolus' sake. "If Link was to suddenly die then getting to the prince would be all but impossible. He's already surrounded by guards and the Sheikah. The people see Link as a force to be reckoned with. If he were to die so suddenly it would raise panic. I wouldn't be surprised if they stow away the prince somewhere for a few years. I have no doubt that you, my lord, would be able to track him down eventually, but it would take time and further delay our plans."

Xerthos was nodding, his black haired head bobbing in slight motions. "I see…" He straightened up and turned to face them, his sharp green eyes peering at them all intently. "One single man can be dealt with when the time comes. Above all we must enact patience, something that you clearly lack, Dasril. Your impulsive proposition could have backfired horribly if the Black Corps had been successful. Tell me… how were they thwarted?"

Dasril held Xerthos' gaze confidently as he lied. "I eliminated them myself once I realized this."

"Wasted resources," said Alceolus scornfully. "Surely they would have obeyed if you'd told them to abort the attack."

"You forget, lord Perrington," snapped Dasril contemptuously. "The Black Corps are an innovation of sorts. You can consider them prototypes, not quite perfected but good enough to be used as a product. Negative commands are more difficult for them to understand. Like a Hylians, it takes extra processing of the mind to register and remember what is being asked. The Black Corps do not yet have that skill."

The lord blustered abashedly for a while then looked away. "Well… They're of Vivienne's creation, she should get on with perfecting them."

Reth laughed. "Poor girl. Even now she is swamped with work and you want to lay more on her. She does her hardest day and night, I can almost admire her, if not for the fact that she is a despicable woman."

Dasril couldn't agree more about that. Vivienne was as devious as they come. Only a fool would place their trust in her, and yet the greatest of men and women have fallen to her persuasions. It unnerved him what became of them.

"It is a good thing that you came to that realization when you did," input Xerthos testily. "No more of the Black Corps shall be sent out. From hereon until the blessing ceremony. Once the prince is in our grasp you can raise hell for all I care."

Reth predictably smiled at this, practically rubbing his hands together in anticipation. Alceolus grinned darkly while Dasril merely perched his hands on his cane and looked away.

"Keep me updated on everything concerning the prince. See that he is well protected and do not disturb anyone who is associated with him," said Xerthos, drifting back to his pages. "This meeting is over. Now leave."

Dasril did so at once.

He saw Reth vanish in a swarm of darkness, teleporting directly out of there. Alceolus scowled in jealousy since both he and Dasril were forced to take the long way out. Neither man could teleport as Reth and Vivienne were able to. Dasril was powerful, but did not quite hold the kind of magic that had been allotted to the other two. They were diversified that way.

"Bloody swell," growled Alceolus as they made their way up the first spiraling flight of stairs.

Dasril remained silent as he mused. He hadn't wanted to call off the Black Corps, he so desired Link dead, but he'd been left with little choice. Zelda had interfered and become injured as a result. That could not happen again.

Inaction seemed his fated part.

He'd do as she asked and watch over Zellandus.

* * *

><p>Link heard a lot of rumors at court, most of them pertaining to the upcoming blessing ceremony. Preparations were already being made even though it was still a fortnight away. The people were excited and hyped up, not even bothering to lower their voices as they spoke about it.<p>

Some believed that during the ceremony the future king or queen would be bestowed with a great power. This could range from foresight to levitating items, full power over the elements, the ability to summon spirits, and whatever else that the imagination cooked up. Link knew this all to be folly. Nothing of the sort happened. They assumed these things because it reflected the pinnacle age for a person's magical power to develop.

Zellandus would only go through the ceremony to acquire the Goddesses' approval. Like in olden times a man would seek the approval of a woman's parents to wed their daughter, the Goddesses dictated whether or not Zellandus was worthy to watch over Hyrule, their child in a sense.

Nothing good ever came from a monarch who ruled and did not beseech the Goddesses.

He was again shadowing Zellandus, who pretended to be immersed in a conversation with lord Hendry, when all of a sudden there was a disturbance at the doors.

The guards virtually leapt out of the way as the ambassador from Labrynna stormed in. Her face was set in a glare and her eyes were narrowed as she made her way through the crowd of nobles, shoving anyone aside who was not quick enough to scatter away. Behind her trailed a man and a woman known to be her advisors. They appeared to be trying to reason with her.

She marched directly up to Zellandus whose only reaction was to perk his ears and raise his eyebrows in inquiry.

Link watched stonily. At one point Hyrule had been at war with Labrynna and they've endured tense relations ever since. He had a feeling this had more to do with that than whatever else was going on. The ambassador appeared positively rabid.

"This can't be good," muttered Byron, standing beside him while watching attentively.

Zellandus greeted the ambassador with a broad smile. "My dear lady Ira! So eager to see me? You're not the only one, I assure you. But I must be fair to all the other ladies. I do my best to divide my attention equally, however, if you feel as if I've neglected you in particular do not fret, I'll save my first dance of the evening for you."

This worked only to infuriate her more. Link gripped his drink tightly. He felt it best that Zellandus play it cautious here. Labrynna already bore a grudge against Hyrule. Provoking the Labrynnian ambassador would not the best way to go about things.

"How dare you!" The ambassador trembled, so profound was her fury. Her advisors gave up and stood back to make certain things didn't get too hazardous.

"I understand that our countries alliance is strained, but this is going too far!"

"My lady, you could very well be mistaken. This could all be a misunderstanding," the female advisor interceded in a last weak attempt.

But the ambassador wouldn't have it. "I knew it was all a plot to get at Labrynna. I demand you order his release this instant!"

Zellandus smiled cheerily, his demeanor not waning in the least. "Order whose release may I ask?"

"Don't play coy with me! I know that brute is under your authority!"

They were making a scene, something that never boded well with the public, especially when it was all nobility, and not just Hyrule's nobility either. Link shoved his half-empty drink at a gawking servant and strode forward.

"This appears to be a matter of great importance," he said evenly. "I suggest we move this conversation to a more secluded area."

"The state apartments should do well," piped in Zellandus, flourishing his hand. "You should see them, ambassador. They've been newly refurnished, you'd hardly recognize it from that old and dreary room that it used to be."

The ambassador appeared to have calmed herself enough to march after them without a word of opposition. She snapped her fingers and four Labrynnian soldiers came to flank her.

Link exchanged wary glances with Byron and the two of them followed the others out of the throne room.

"What's the meaning of this!" spouted lord Kincaid suddenly, pushing to the front of the crowd. "How dare you accuse the prince! For shame!"

Zellandus all at once turned around, blocking the exit and drawing the doors close. He addressed the entire court. "I apologize but a situation has come up. It is apparent that the lady Ira is not well and I shall personally see her attended to immediately."

A murmur of concern arose from the rabble of nobles, all nodding in sympathy.

"Until then feel free to socialize and enjoy yourselves. Court shall proceed as normal, dinner is at six with ballroom dancing following, as per the normal routine. Do not let my absence bother you, and continue on as you were."

With that he shut the doors firmly in lord Kincaid's face and wiped his forehead with a kerchief he'd unearthed from his sleeve.

"That is a relief. I suppose it is a good an excuse as any to escape from court proceedings," he iterated joyfully and glided down the corridor leading to the state apartments.

The Labrynnian ambassador was seconds away from blowing up and Link swiftly prompted them onward.

Once they reached the apartments lady Ira rounded on Zellandus furiously. "YOU!"

"Calm yourself, lady Ira," said Zellandus, as he abruptly changed to serious. "Explain yourself and allow me a chance to defend before you make any wrongful accusations."

The ambassador hissed angrily but managed to speak in a level tone. "I was just informed that the Duke of Lynna has been taken captive by your Augurer."

Link blinked in momentary shock.

Byron held a hand to his mouth, black eyes bulging. "My word!"

"WHAT!" cried Zellandus.

The ambassador carried on in a seething tone. "One of the men part of his retinue had managed to escape and was brought here to inform us. Apparently they were detained at the border right after crossing into Hyrule and have been taken away, no doubt to one of that Augurer's filthy monster camps. Defend yourself now, prince!"

However, it was Link who stepped forward. "The Augurer is as much an enemy of ours as he is yours. His highness is doing all he can to track him down and arrest him. Whatever connection you presume that he shares is false. The Augurer may originate from Hyrule but he is not welcome here. Surely Labrynna has also produced its fair number of villains as well? Can you be blamed for their wrongdoings?"

The ambassador growled with rage. "Then do something about him! We see to it that our villains are taken to task then so should you see to it that yours are."

"Do not worry, we will," said Zellandus firmly. "Byron, a favor."

Byron shifted uneasily. "Yes, your highness?"

"Bring lady Brula to me, as well as Commander Shira, but tell no one else. The rest of the council doesn't need to know. Din knows they'd become even more unbearable to work with if they did."

Byron hesitated then nodded, leaving the room at a brisk pace.

The prince spoke next to the ambassador. "I shall ignore this transgression against my person this one time because you are obviously distraught. But the next time you form alleged assumptions about me I shall take _you_ to task. Am I clear?"

Lady Ira grudgingly replied through gritted teeth, "Crystal."

"Then you are excused. You may rejoin those at court or take a respite, whatever you wish." He eyed the Labrynnian soldiers distastefully and flippantly waved his hand at them. "Be sure to take your henchmen with you."

The ambassador took an assertive step forward. "I will not be dismissed! I demand to know how you are planning to rectify this atrocity!"

"If it is as you claimed then the Augurer falls under Hyrule authority. The issue has been delegated to me, by yourself I may add, and is no longer of concern to you. The way we go about solving this problem shall remain strictly confidential," Zellandus said smoothly, staring down at her. "It is my turn to make assumptions. This may very well be a detailed plot set by Labrynna to make Hyrule look bad. As you've said, we each bear our grudges. If that is the case then I will not have any Labrynnian involvement. I will see that you are kept informed on the proceedings, but the small intricacies will be left to your imagination."

_Wow_, thought Link, blinking. _He sort of sounds like Zelda..._

He looked at Zellandus closely and considered him.

Pompous and idiotic? Yes. Kingly material? Indubitably.

Why didn't he show this side of himself to the court? Why keep it hidden? He spoke with a certainty and authority that compelled people to listen and obey without question. At long last he saw him as Zelda in full, both physically and based on character. He was fixated.

"Fine," hissed Ira, annoyed. "I shall leave. But if anything should happen to the duke I will do whatever I is within my power to convince the king of your guilt and see to it that all friendly relations are permanently severed."

She stormed out of the apartments. The Labrynnian soldiers frowned at them then followed after.

Zellandus gave that telling sigh. "This…is a nuisance I didn't need."

Link couldn't agree more.

* * *

><p>They'd aggregated in the council chamber, despite there not being an official meeting. Zellandus felt that if every member of the council had been called in then it would take them far to long to reach a consensus. Thus only the relative parties were gathered.<p>

Brula had magically sealed the room to keep potential eavesdroppers away. Nothing could get in and nothing could get out, this went for their physical beings as well as sound.

"So there you have it," said Deb after she'd outlined her plan. "What say you?"

Link took in all the information they had received and thought about the many risks that could result from such an undertaking. It couldn't be helped though, there would always be some uncertainties involved.

"I agree with the Commander. I see no better option. We cannot confront the Augurer full front else we risk him threatening the duke. This is a rescue mission first and foremost. Subtlety must be enacted," said Link in support.

Really, the Commander was quite brilliant. She had seen what they had to work with, took into account the enemy's resources, and divined a feasible strategy. All in one sitting, he might add.

"It is sound," said Brula.

Zellandus nodded in agreement while Byron looked on, worried.

"Now to decide who to send." The Sheikah thought carefully for a moment before relaying her decision. "Link, I believe this is your opponent. If anyone stands a chance against him it is you. But do not act impulsively. Do not go looking for a battle, above all the safe rescue of the duke and his retinue is our priority. Commander Deb, seeing how Link will be going, you shall remain here with his highness."

Deb nodded in affirmation. "I have some people in mind to help with the rescue, and although they cannot compare to the Sheikah, I believe they have their value."

"Very well. Inform those you have chosen, tonight. Pick no more than three others, we can't have too many on this mission," said Brula, then she looked over at Link. "Equip yourself well. You leave at dawn."

Link felt determination surge through him. Finally it was time to face the Augurer.

* * *

><p>Back at the manor Zelda was preparing herself. She had just been informed by her source that a Labrynnian duke had been captured by the Augurer. At last he'd made his appearance. She was off to track him down.<p>

Dasril watched her saddle herself with numerous throwing knives and needles and his eyebrows raised at the sight of an odd looking pointed device being tucked within her pouch. She stowed away numerous bottles of red and stamina potions, leaving little room for actual sustenance.

"What is all this urgency for? Zelda, you haven't completely recovered yet," said Dasril, anxiously trying to sway her against leaving.

He may as well have tried arguing the price down with a business shrub. He'd have better luck with that. She would not be moved.

"There is little time," she said as she bent to strap on her calf guards, buckling them at the front. "I must travel quickly."

"And where do you go?" he asked her suddenly. "It is not safe out there. The Augurer has once again made his appearance. If you chance to run across him…"

He knew that sometimes her travels took her away from Hyrule. The Augurer was rumored to have been spotted somewhere along Labrynna's border, if she was headed that way she could easily be caught just like that duke. Of all times, why did she have to leave now?

Zelda paused at his words. She stared off into the distance, eyes glazed over as if in reminiscence. She muttered something softly under her breath then shook herself and continued fastening her gear.

Dasril scrunched his eyebrows in confusion.

Ganon… Ganondorf? What was she talking about? And where had he heard that name before?

She padded on light feet to observe herself before the mirror and tied a black silk ribbon around her hair at the nape of her neck.

"I should be no longer than three weeks at the most. If I do not return then don't bother to seek me out."

Was she close then to finding what she was after? Did it have something to do with this Ganondorf?

Too soon she was throwing her newly repaired cloak over her shoulders, and tying her mask over her face. She drew up the hood and faced him once more.

She stood silent for a while, then flung herself out the window. Dasril hastened over in time to see her land in a crouch before getting up and sprinting off.

He cursed his ill fate and prayed her path did not cross with the Augurer for he feared for her if it did.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Now as the story is progressing further there may be plot holes and inconsistencies that I miss or don't notice. I would greatly appreciate if you notice anything that you inform me so that I can fix it. It might just be that I forgot to add a part. I have a written outline of the plot and the major events that occur in each chapter, but there is always a chance that I might have made a mistake. Thank you!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: And I thought the last chapter was busy. This one seemed to drag me along. I had fun writing it.**

**Thank you FallenAngel2298 for helping me with military terms. I changed Roualt's rank from colonel to captain, and regiment to platoon. Hope that works better.**

**As usual, a big thanks to all my reviewers: Guest reviewer for April 29, ObscurityProject, allyssagrace16, Flik98, Yukiame, Death Waltz, Bloodspire, No name guest, FallenAngel2298, and ShadowQueenMidna!**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 11<strong>

Link rarely paced, and when he did it was in times of great stress or when he was particularly deep in thought about something. For this instance, it was because he was anxious to head out. He stalked the room as he waited impatiently for the others who were to be joining him.

The night before he'd packed everything that would be needed for the excursion. He'd risen early in the morning and double-checked his gear before heading to the drawing room where they were supposed to meet. It had been decided that he and three others would be going after the Augurer, their objective to rescue the Labrynnian duke.

He stopped his pacing and paused to look out the window, silently musing, a grim air about him.

Brula had cautioned him against it, and every single bit of reasoning within him told him not to, but he couldn't help but think…why not? Why not take this chance presented to him, grasp it by the handle, and use it as an opportunity to stop Ganondorf? If the Evil King was only lurking about then that had to mean that he was not yet at full power. Even Ganondorf had to build himself up before he attacked. This was a chance too good to pass up. Should he disregard Brula's orders and seek out Ganondorf once they reached the camp?

In a way he was glad he'd be accompanied this time. Usually he liked to do things himself without the hindrance, but here he could let his companions take care of the rescuing while he snuck off and properly challenged Ganondorf.

_Foolhardy_, Brula would call him. But if it would relieve all the future suffering that the Augurer was no doubt going to enact against the people of Hyrule, and most definitely the other nations as well, then it would be worth the lecture.

There was just one little problem… He didn't have the Master Sword. And there was no time to go fetch it. He believed it to be in the lost woods where he always put it to rest at the end of its use, but reaching the forest and navigating through it would take time. Ample enough time for something dastardly to happen to the duke and for Ganondorf once again to conceal his tracks and slip into hiding.

He'd have to forgo the sword if he wanted to end it all before it began. Perhaps in his weaker state an ordinary sword would work to fell him?

Leaning an arm against the side of the window, Link gazed out the glass and sighed. What a complex predicament he was in.

He heard the others approaching long before they reached the chamber, his pointed Hylian ears twitching in alertness. The door opened and he looked over his shoulder then turned fully and clasped his hands behind his back as Commander Deb and Byron entered.

Deb spotted him in his shadowed little corner and quirked an eyebrow. "Ready and early, such fine qualities. You do yourself more credit the longer I know you."

Link couldn't help but give a small smile then cocked his head curiously at the Zora. "Byron? What are you doing here?"

Byron replied with a smile of his own. "I've just completed and sent my report to Queen Helerra. I wanted to see you off and wish you luck."

Commander Deb scoffed, "It's not luck that will see him through this. Depending on something so insubstantial as luck is impractical and is sure to lead to failure. If you must rely on something then let it be on your own wit and skill."

"No need to go overboard. It was just courtesy," said Byron, shrugging.

"It is appreciated," said Link, giving the Zora a short nod, which Byron reciprocated, smiling thankfully. He looked back at Deb. "Will his highness be coming as well?"

"If he somehow manages to wake up while it's still dark outside and get himself out of bed," said Deb, placing her hands on her hips. "But I'd be surprised if he didn't come. From what I've witnessed of the prince, he'd do anything to avoid or delay attending a council meeting, but if a predicament is serious enough then he is all over it."

Link had seen the prince's seriousness for himself just yesterday, but still his curiosity was piqued. "Really? How so?"

There was a long pause in which Commander Deb furrowed her eyebrows, her thoughts travelling to someplace far away. Suddenly she appeared almost perplexed. Her eyes filled with uncertainty.

One look at Byron informed him that he was just as at a loss as Link was to the Commander's sudden mood. Link watched her fold an arm over her abdomen to support the elbow of her other arm as the hand came to cup her chin, pondering.

"There was something…" Deb grated her teeth and started over again. "Apologies, I seem to have lost my train of thought. What I meant to say was that there was an issue a few years ago, again regarding a miscreant at the borders. But this time he was from Termina. He employed mercenaries to do his bidding. At the time Termina was is a poor state. A blight had swept through their lands and the economy crashed. They couldn't handle the problem on their own so Hyrule took care of it. Again this was a sorcerer, much like our Augurer, and the prince was the only one who had power enough to stop him. He along with a few other sorcerers utilized their magic to destroy the miscreant."

Link believed he now knew the cause for her concern, why she hesitated and delved on the issue.

"So you believe that this Augurer may be a copycat?" he asked, his spirits sinking. Ganondorf would have never bothered to imitate another's tactics. Then could the Augurer be someone else entirely? A general of his?

Deb frowned, her eyes sliding to his. "It could be… But that is not what has me bothered. The man named Briant was defeated a little over four years ago. What puzzles me is that the prince at the time would have been too young to deal with him. I also remember him in two parts, being ordered to remain in the castle, and yet his is the face I see when I recall the battlefield…" She grunted and gnashed her teeth. "Idiotic prince, must have ignored the order and gone anyways. But I've never once seen a child look so severe as the prince did then."

A memory tugged at Link's mind, emerging from the multitude of images stored away in his head. He faintly remembered that time as a period of panic. Some of the soldiers had travelled through Heron Falls on their way to the border to wage battle against Bryant. Link had been a boy of twelve, too young to do anything to help or to be properly informed of what was happening. That time resembled this situation closely, but without the increase of monsters roaming about.

"What's taking them so long? I've trained my soldiers better than this," muttered Deb tersely, changing the subject.

With her current mood he didn't want to point out that they still had a quarter hour to arrive.

Link entered into a light conversation with Byron until finally the door once again opened and in strode Zellandus looking more awake then Link thought possible at such an early hour. Brula was close on his heels, followed by three others all wearing dark shades of blue or green over their skin-tight aegis suits. Although it would do no good to defend in a real battle, the aegis suit was comfortable and pliable, easy to fight in.

He glanced over his new cohorts and his eyes flashed back, alighting on one in particular with a sudden surge of surprise.

"Amy?!"

Amy was decked out in a blue so deep it could almost be considered black. A short scarf was tied loosely around her neck and her long normally bouncy locks of dark hair were bound together in a tail high on her head. She grinned at him and placed a gloved hand on the hilt of the sword that was belted at her waist.

"Surprised Link?" she asked gleefully.

"You're part of the mission?" exclaimed Link bewildered.

Her smile faded and was replaced by a frown, quite obviously displeased with the remark. "Is there a problem?"

It's just that he didn't think the nobility much cared for any sort of grunt work. Even among those that did join the military they preferred positions of command and most were quickly promoted. Also not many noblewomen opted to pursue a military career due to lack of interest. Many would jump at the chance to learn the sword, but not many would delve to put their knowledge to good use. The number of women in the army amounted to less than six percent, so to that extent it was considered mainly a man's realm.

Link then remembered that Amy had been called a tomboy and thought that perhaps explained it better.

He blinked at her sharp tone then smiled softly. "Not at all. Actually, you've just increased my confidence that this mission will go smoothly."

At least there'd be someone with him who he knew personally and who was more down to Hyrule than most.

Brula touched the wall and set a barrier around the room then filled it with her wizened voice. "I'll give you all a quick overview of your mission before you leave. You depart immediately after this."

Link perked up as the others listened with rapt attention. A wave of seriousness washed over the room. It seemed that even Zellandus' eyes had hardened. A few locks of his blonde hair fell over his right eye and he didn't make a move to push them back. His ears flicked in anticipation.

Seeing as she held their eyes and ears, she went on. "First introductions," she said, gesturing a hand at the three lined up before him. "Link, this is Aiden Rivers." The young man smiled and bowed. Brula then indicated the next. "And I'm sure you're already acquainted with lady Amy Delage." Amy flashed him a beaming smile. "Our final member shall be lord Wist Perth. These three are part of Hyrule's secret stealth division, headed by myself. They are among the best."

Link once again found himself surprised. "Lord Perth?"

Wist was virtually unrecognizable the way he was dressed now in his dark clothing when usually in court he wore bright colors. Seeing him out of context was a strange thing to Link.

Wist was smiling as he nodded at Link, giving a short greeting. "Link, good to see you again."

Link curtly nodded back, wondering how Commander Deb could have chosen such a person - a dainty lord - to accompany them for such an important task. Obviously he was more than he seemed. As with James, Link hadn't thought much of him.

"Link is to be leader of this squad," Burla carried on, looking at them all sternly. "If he gives an order, you shall do as told without question. All of you have been informed of what's at stake and are aware of how this infiltration is to proceed." Her tone lowered to something more somber as she gave them all a hard look from behind red irises. "I give you this chance to pull out if you wish. What you're about to do is dangerous and could cost you your lives. If you do not have the spine for it then you will do no good out there. You shall be excused and another will be chosen to replace you."

Link kept silent, features steeled in fierce determination. There was little chance that he was not going. He'd faced countless dangers, had slinked through the Gerudo Fortress and survived, had braved every temple and dungeon in Hyrule over and over again, had wandered through haunted woods, had even played sniper in bulblin camps, and all this he'd done by himself. With his experience he could probably accomplish this task on his own as well, if not for the fact that there was a life at stake. He'd done his fair share of rescuing in his lives, but this adversary was quite possibly Ganondorf and the duke wasn't as important as Zelda so it was truly unpredictable what he would do with him.

They all stood still, none giving any indication that they'd refuse the mission.

Brula smiled grimly. "Very well. Four horses have been readied and saddled for your use. Be sure to leave them with Joachim when you arrive at Kakariko."

"May the Goddesses watch over you," said Zellandus with utter severity.

The men and woman all muttered their thanks and departed after Commander Deb as she led them out the door.

A hand grasped Link's shoulder as he made to leave and he twisted around to see Zellandus, a somber look about him.

"Your highness?" Link queried lowly, eyes shifting to the rest of the squad as they left the room.

Zellandus sighed and swept a hand through his unruly hair, only further musing it. "I don't know if this really is the evil King of Thieves, the same as I don't know if you really are the Hero of Legends… but if you are then I do know what this may come to. If you do encounter this loathsome Augurer fellow, promise me that you'll win. I have no desire to see my country immersed in darkness and suffering."

Link inclined his head subtly, a fierce glint in his eyes. "Do not worry, your highness. I have no intention of losing."

The prince chuckled. "With confidence like that I'm sure you'd persist even if every limb was torn from your body." His face then became a sickly shade and he shuddered. "What a ghastly thought. Do return in one piece, will you?"

"I shall strive to," Link replied idly.

This seemed to content Zellandus as he pat Link on the shoulder a few times. "Good man."

"Goddess speed, Link," said Byron.

Link nodded. "Thank you." Then hurried out to find the others.

When Link caught up to them in the stables he was instantly met with Amy's raised eyebrow and slight grin. Link at once deciphered the reason for it and scowled. She must have seen in part what had gone on between the prince and himself.

"It was nothing," he said coldly then walked up, claiming a chestnut stallion, its mane trimmed short and its tail cut so that the hairs were even. It snorted and trudged forward as Link pulled on its bridle.

Amy smiled as she pet her own dark coated stallion. "I know, just friends."

"Can we go now? We're supposed to reach Kakariko before dark," said Wist, mounted on his black mare, which was scuffing the ground impatiently.

Link hooked his foot in the stirrup and expertly swung his leg around to straddle the horse. He nudged it into a walk and headed towards the open stable doors. Deb awaited him at the threshold, arms crossed and chin tucked.

"I don't like this. Get it over with as quickly as possible then come home. I do not think the ambassador of Labrynna will be inclined to wait long, and I pray to the Goddesses that the duke has not been harmed, otherwise I fear the Labrynnians' reactions…" she said quietly.

He stopped his mount and it padded its hoof on the ground. "If any harm does befall the duke, I shall see it paid back tenfold as recompense. Perhaps the Labrynnians would be sated with the perpetrator's blood."

"Not just them," Deb grumbled. "This Augurer has been a prick in my side ever since he first appeared. Too much council time has been centered on him. It will be good to have him gone."

Link smirked. "Consider it done."

The Commander briefly smiled before it turned sour. "Remember what lady Brula said. Do not go looking to take this Augurer head on. To my knowledge, you are magically inept, and the Augurer has vast stores of it. Unless you find some sword or other tool that can slice through raw power then you would be horribly disadvantaged."

He averted his head and muttered to himself. "Not yet, but soon…" Link straightened and grasped the reigns firmly. "Watch over his highness for me."

He then kicked his horse into a canter and steered him out onto the castle yard, followed closely by the rest of his squad. The guards allowed them to pass through the gates unhindered and they were soon making their way through the streets of Castle Town, silent so as not to alert any of the citizens. They saw very few people at this time and went unbothered for the most part. At the final set of gates leading out to the fields, Link handed Brula's note to the guards, who quickly perused it then allowed them to exit.

And soon they were racing across Hyrule's open Western Field.

It was at times like this that he missed having a horse of his own. In many of his lives he'd encounter a horse that had usually been reared for farm work, but grew to become formidable warhorses. In other instances where there were no chance encounters and he had to purchase his own, he always picked a strong mare, and he always named her Epona. Sometimes he liked to think that each of his Eponas were the descendants of the previous ones.

He'd have to see about getting a horse sometime in the near future. He'd find one that matched his standards and train her to become a charger.

They rode fast, only pausing to eat their midday meal as the sun arched high in the sky. A few times they came upon a lone bokoblin, but the beasts were left in the dust in their futile attempts to run after the mounted steads, and some they mercilessly trampled over.

Link had his team pull over as they reached a trickling stream and dismounted to rest their legs and water their horses.

Going over to the stream, Link bent down and took a handful of water to splash it over his face. He wiped his eyes and flattened his hair back then sat comfortably on the ground.

"I take it you've done this before?" asked Amy as she leaned against the flank of her stallion. The horse had his nose dipped in the cool water and did not seem to mind the extra weight.

Link considered her idly, cheeks stinging as a cold wind hit them. "What makes you say that?"

Amy scoffed, "Lady Brula appears to have confidence in your abilities. She trusts you in a way that she trusts no other. You must have been acquainted with her before to have formed such a bond. I find it hardly believable that a complete stranger would have earned it so easily. Not only that, but she confides in you and places the prince's wellbeing in your hands."

Smiling, Link looked out over the field. "You'd be correct to assume that. I have been friends with the Sheikahs for years." My, he was getting good at this lying business. At least this time it was only a white lie. He knew the Sheikah, had known them for ages, just not Brula in particular. He was omitting the specifics, and luckily Amy didn't catch that.

Abruptly Wist came over and plopped down on the grass between them and motioned for Amy and Aiden to huddle closer. He spread a map over his crossed legs and set about marking certain locations.

"Commander Shira explained as far as this," he began, finger tracing over a path. "Hyrule's patrols have been notified via messenger hawk about the Augurer's whereabouts and a number of them have gathered and set up camp right here." He indicated a spot on the map. "Where they were informed to keep watch and wait for our arrival. They are the distractors in a sense, while we, under cover of darkness, sneak across the field from Kakariko village on foot to avoid detection from monster scouts. We have to reach our camp before daylight for this to go off without a hitch. After a short rest, we ready for infiltration the following night. Am I missing anything, Captain?"

Link was momentarily taken aback at the address then nodded in affirmation. "That is the gist of it. Our actual planning for the infiltration will start once we convene with the captain in charge of the platoon."

Aiden got to his feet and brushed himself off. "Well we'd best be off. With just a little over a day to reach the camp we shouldn't be wasting any time."

There was a round of agreement before they mounted their horses, once again en route to Kakariko.

They arrived late evening and were greeted at the entrance by the man named Joachim. He took them to his house where he had his son and two daughters take care of their tack and horses. He led them quickly inside.

"Work for lady Brula, eh? Well I don't know what sort of scheme she has you doing, but I'm not so ignorant that I don't know it has something to do with that sorcerer fellow that everyone's been raving about," said Joachim as he served them all a warm supper of carrot soup and rolls.

The soup was spiced with coriander and nutmeg, and Link near grimaced at the taste. He forced himself to eat it out of politeness.

Joachim stood over him suddenly and Link looked up at his watery eyes.

"Please get rid of him. He's done these parts no good. His monsters drive away all the game and merchants are too afraid to be travelling these parts."

Link seriously considered him then, placing his spoon down slowly. "Has he been here that long?"

His question drew stares from the other members of his party. Amy and Wist pricked their pointed ears with interest, while Aiden craned his head, a frown on his face.

The man continued on pleadingly. "For a couple of weeks now. Didn't you know? He has a base near the canyon o'er yonder. We've been pleading to Hyrule Castle for help but none answer until now."

"Aren't there soldiers that patrol this area?" asked Link abruptly.

Joachim merely shook his head in sadness. "All of them are either too afraid or ignore it. The one's that tried to do something have gone missing. Murdered by those beasts I say."

The news made the cogs in his mind shift and grind. He exchanged glances with the rest of his squad, all with looks of puzzlement or dour thought on their faces.

Why had Deb not been informed of this? And if she had, why hadn't she taken measures? She could have used it as a vice against the rest of the council to target the Augurer.

Link frowned. _Something's not right about this…_

Abruptly he pushed away from the table and got up. He ignored the stares of his comrades and went outside. He made his way to the back in a relatively secluded area and leaned against the outside of the house. They'd only have a few hours of rest before they had to move out again under the cover of darkness, and Link meant to use that time to take a small nap, but first he had to get a better understanding of what was going on.

Once he was certain that no one was around he spoke quietly.

"Well, what have you to say about this?"

His Sheikah responded with an air of irritation in his voice.

_**We did not know of this. Neither the lady Brula nor the prince are aware of it.**_

Link grit his teeth. "How could you not? Haven't you Sheikah have been following this Augurer around? To not even know where one of his bases is…" It bothered him considerably that the Sheikah had not known. Was something protecting the Augurer or was this his own magic at work?

_**We only come when he is sighted.**_

"So you have not investigated him further?"

_**Other things have taken precedence. But it appears lady Brula was right in her assumptions. This Augurer is indeed more than he appears.**_

Link growled. "You don't think that he's really Ganondorf, do you?" he accused heatedly.

_**Although it does seem probable, I am not yet convinced. Nevertheless the threat he poses has heightened. I shall inform my kin of this occurrence.**_

He reclined against the wall and crossed his arms, gazing skyward. His Sheikah wasn't taking this as seriously as he should be. Did he doubt in the evil king's resurrection or Link's own? Or did he simply believe that this Augurer was not he? Was the Augurer then a low account mage trying to gain infamy…? Perhaps. It could not be overlooked in any case.

"How is it that Kakariko pleads for help and yet Hyrule has not answered?" said Link, newly perplexed. But then it came to him.

_**Interception.**_ Said the Sheikah, wording his thoughts._** Someone must be stealing letters from the postman.**_

"No, he's too reliable, and he'd have to be bewitched not to notice someone raiding from his pouch. Which leaves us with the receivers…" Link held his chin and mused. "Tell me, who oversees the letters from outside villages? Regarding requests, that is."

_**One of the council members. The Minister of Provincial Affairs.**_

Link's eyes narrowed into slits as anger shot through him. "Lord Perrington…"

That big oaf of a minister was responsible for filtering out Kakariko's pleas to Hyrule? How despicable. Yet it was only a supposition. He couldn't accuse the man with no proof. No matter that he disliked him, there were others that could have just as easily rifled through the letters and confiscated them.

Link was about to address his Sheikah when it came to him that after all this time he still had no idea what the his name was. He'd not been told, nor had the Sheikah deigned to mention it. He felt sudden guilt for not asking. He'd rectify that now.

"What are you called? I can't simply address you as Sheikah for the remainder of our partnership."

_**Laval…**_

Link grimaced. "Laval? Is that your real name?"

_**It is what I am called.**_

_Smart ass._

"Fine then, Laval," he drawled. "Go to Brula and inform her of all that we've found out. And also tell her to have one of the Sheikah keep a close watch over lord Perrington. I don't trust him."

_**I cannot.**_

He blinked. Link's voice became deeper with irritation. "Was that a question or a statement? Now go."

_**I cannot go. Lady Brula has entrusted your safety to me and this rescue mission will place you in untold danger. I must remain close to you. I shall inform lady Brula once we've returned to the castle, for now it matters not whether we delay telling her for a few days more.**_

A serious threat he would have used back in the day would have been '_when I am king!_', he'd let that hang, along with a shaking fist. Generally it worked on everyone, even the Sheikah to an extent. For obvious reasons he could not use that now.

He pushed off the wall and spoke lowly, "Very well. Once this is over with."

On reentering the house he saw that his team had not waited up for him and had all gone to rest in the living room, splayed across the couches and armchair in various comfortable position. Link sighed upon seeing that they hogged all the furniture and resigned himself to sleep on the floor.

It seemed as if he'd merely closed his eyes for a minute before they were compelled to open as someone shook his shoulder.

"Mister Link, time to rise," said Joachim, hovering over him.

Link stretched and rubbed his eyes, then forced himself to his feet, rubbing his neck, which had been in an awkward position.

"Help me wake the others," he said, before starting over to Wist and shaking him awake.

In a few minutes they were all up and ready. They were still tired, but adrenaline driven by the situation gave them the extra boost of energy they needed to keep on going.

It felt to Link like old times, snatching a little respite here or there in between battles and challenges before he continued with his journey. He'd be always on the go and forever busy.

He was glad to hear not a word of complaint from his companions. Of course, with Deb as their Commander, and Brula as the head of their division, they weren't afforded any.

"Alright," he said after making certain they were all sufficiently alert. "Let's head out."

"Be careful," said Joachim, anxiously.

Wist grasped the man's arm. "We will. And we'll get rid of this menace for you. We'll tell the prince and he'll post a new company of soldiers at your village as soon as he hears of this."

Their host bowed gratefully. "Oh thank you, sir."

Link took one last look at the man then hurried along out the door.

There was little to no chat as they trekked, keeping at a steady pace so they wouldn't tire out. They stayed low and avoided any and all signs of life in the field. Bulblins and bokoblins may not have good night vision, but there were plenty of other beasts out there that did.

Laval also prowled the darkness, warning Link with slight pulls to his conscious of any impending dangers and indicating which areas to steer clear of. They came upon the canyon soon and Link's eyes fought to penetrate its deep depths, shrouded in total darkness.

"According to the map the camp can't be more than a few miles away. We should be able to see some campfires soon," said Wist, who had assured them that he'd memorized the map before they'd headed out.

Link was beginning to see him more and more as an asset to this team.

The ground suddenly sloped downwards as they ventured over a hillock, making headway more cumbersome. They treaded cautiously as they descended, climbing down at some points, being careful not to slip and fall.

As the terrain leveled out they were met with more lush grass, which helped to muffle their steps. They spotted the camp in the distance. They could just make out the flickering fires and the shadowed outlines of tents in the dark.

Link ordered them to halt a good twenty yards away, motioning for them to keep down.

"Why are we stopping," hissed Aiden precariously. "We're almost there."

Link eyed the camp and explained, "It is never wise to just rush in blindly. Someone has to scout ahead and make sure that it really is our people there, not some monsters waiting to ambush us."

"Why would there be monsters in our own camp? That's preposterous," said Aiden.

Wist gave Link a look and jerked his head. "New recruit," he informed him. "There's talent there, but he hasn't had the full experience yet."

Like any good leader, Link decided to educate him. "For one we have to make sure that we're not about to just waltz into the enemy camp, and secondly we can't be certain that our camp hasn't been taken over by the beasts. Also we have to alert the captain quietly. Our whole objective is not to be seen or heard by anyone."

"I'll go," said Amy straightaway.

He nodded at her. "Be quick and be cautious."

In a flash she was gone, rushing through the field before soon she was lost to sight. Link couldn't even pinpoint her form. She was too well camouflaged in the dark.

They waited in silence for what seemed like hours. Wist had to constantly stop Aiden from fidgeting with nervousness. At last both he and Wist caught the faint sounds of approaching footsteps. Amy revealed herself to them and motioned for them to follow.

"It is safe. Captain Roualt awaits us in his tent."

Silently they slipped through the night and cut across the stretch of field to the cluster of tents. They hurried past the sentry, who nodded at them then went back to searching the landscape, and were brought to a larger tent in the center of the encampment. Amy pulled the flap aside and they all slithered in.

Captain Roualt was a stout man with a well-trimmed beard and moustache and a monocle over his left eye. His ears were rounded, indicating that he was not full Hylian, and his bearing was stiff and strict. He stood at-ease, military stile.

"You've come in the nick of time. A half-hour more until morning and you'd have been sighted," he said gruffly.

Link stepped forward as spokesman for his squad. "What's the situation like?"

The captain frowned in the lamplight with a look of disbelief. "You've travelled from the castle to Kakariko to here practically nonstop and with virtually no rest and you still think you're ready for more? I say not. No. You shall rest for now. Later on, when you awaken I shall debrief you."

Gratefully they all conceded, or grudgingly in Link's case. The travel had clear worn them out and a rest would help revitalize them for their mission.

* * *

><p>Link found it difficult to 'stay put', as the captain ordered. The most important factor of their mission involved them to remain hidden from the enemy. The Hylian platoon was being watched just as closely as the bulblin force was. The bulblins knew their numbers and the addition of Link and his crew would not go unnoticed if they were to wander beyond the tent. So here they were hidden away, canvas surrounding them on all sides. Link found it stifling.<p>

Trapped with him, Wist perused his map, jotting down pen marks and other little notes while Amy and Aiden played a round of cards.

Link crossed his arms and tapped a finger on his bicep. A female soldier had informed them upon waking that the captain was currently occupied with overseeing the boundaries and would see to them shortly. Link didn't like the wait. Sundown was only a few hours away and they had yet to be briefed.

When the captain did arrive he looked to be in a very irritable mood. The others flinched when he narrowed his gaze on them while Link held it steadfast.

"Let's get this over with, we may have less time than we thought. You'll have to move out tonight," he said gruffly and adjusted his monocle.

Aiden stood, abandoning the game of cards. "What do you mean, 'less time'?"

"Precisely that," inserted one of the officers, a sergeant who'd entered after the captain. He cleared his throat and went on, "Just yesterday the captain proposed a bargain with the bulblins to release the duke of Lynna and his retinue. Today we received word that our offer was denied. That does not worry us, it was only intended to delay whatever they may have planed for him, but that they replied so quickly only means that they do in fact have something in store for our unfortunate duke and that the Augurer means to carry on with whatever it is soon."

"Troublesome," mumbled Captain Roualt. "Now down to business." He held his hand out and the officer promptly place a rolled up parchment in it. The captain then bent over the table and spread it out, using four stones to hold down the corners.

Link was greeted with a crudely drawn sketch with labels scattered all over and a legend displayed at the bottom with various military terms, some of which were new to him. He scrutinized it with interest, filing the information in his mind, committing it to memory.

"It's a fortress," said Wist breathlessly. "They built a fortress."

The captain snorted. "And beneath our notice too. I can understand how we haven't located it before, it is in a secluded area and not many people travel out here. The patrols have checked it before weeks ago, but never since. Slowly the Augurer has been expanding his territory."

"Are you certain that the Augurer is actually here? Have you seen him?" asked Link.

"Our spies report seeing a great hulking figure in black armor with a horned helm," said the captain somberly. "Trust me, he's here."

"You've had your men enter the fortress?" asked Amy, alarmed.

"Unfortunately, no. The closest we've come to was a ridge overlooking the fortress and from there we were able to see down into it. However we've been unable to use the ridge ever since a group of bulblins moved in on it. As we were still in the bartering stage we couldn't outright attack them. I've requested to speak with the Augurer personally, so hopefully that should hold them until tomorrow. "

Link stared at the map, mind already concocting a strategy.

"This part here, is it made out of stone or wood?" asked Wist, pointing to a pair of circles that were indicated as turrets.

"Wood," said Link at once. "Bulblins aren't any good at stonework. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if the entire fortress was wooden."

The captain stared at him then looked back down at the map. "That is correct. And it's the most oddly designed structure I've ever seen. I'm surprised it stands."

"Where do you believe the prisoners are held?" asked Link.

It was the sergeant who answered. "We were unable to detect where they may be hidden. Remember, we've only been here for a few days, we didn't have much time to do a proper recon. We suspect though that they aren't all locked up together. The duke especially will be heavily guarded somewhere away from the others."

"So essentially we are running in blind?" murmured Amy softly, before her face broke out in a grin. "Well, I don't know about you boys, but I find there's no fun in a mission without some sort of handicap to overcome."

Link looked up from the map at his team and folded his hands behind his back. This was no different than a war council. He devised strategies and his soldiers would execute them.

"Aiden, you carry a bow, how good are you with it?" he asked.

Aiden grinned and hefted it over his shoulder. It had been strung the night before in case they'd come upon any monsters. "If you're talking about accuracy, then I'm a one-hundred percent shot with no distractions, maybe eighty percent with distractions. Same with precision."

"Are you able to shoot well in the dark?"

He shrugged. "As long as I have a target."

Link nodded assuredly. "Bulblin's eyes shine in the night, you'll be able to spot them." Indeed, that feature had helped him in many predicaments before. He smiled. "I have everything worked out. Captain, you and your men just have to act normally."

The captain removed his monocle and wiped it with a kerchief. "As I expected. Very well."

Link's grin broadened almost sinisterly. "If all goes well, we'll be enjoying a nice bonfire tonight."

* * *

><p>Link had never had trouble sneaking into an enemy's stronghold before, and he certainly didn't have trouble this time. Of course, things would have been much more difficult without his hookshot. He silently thanked Queen Helerra for having it upgraded. The reach was just enough to latch onto the top ramparts.<p>

He turned to Aiden who was looking up at the fortress steadily. "You ready?"

"No one is ever truly ready for these things," said Aiden quietly, before awkwardly placing his arms around Link's shoulders.

"Hold tighter lest you fall off. Once I release the latch we'll shoot up fast."

Wist and Amy chuckled at Aiden's discomfort, but he was good-natured enough to only roll his eyes at them. He firmed his hold around Link and Link grasped the back of the other man's tunic in his free hand as a precaution.

Once he let go of the latch they zoomed through the air then came to an abrupt stop. Link clutched the edge of the ramparts and hauled both of them over. Aiden released him and they both crouched low behind a couple of barrels.

Link sniffed the air then inspected the barrels, pleasantly surprised.

"What is it?" asked Aiden with some confusion.

"Oil," said Link, eyes flitting around to count the number of barrels. "The ground slopes downward on the outside of the fortress. Those beasts mean to toss these over, let them roll for a bit, before lighting them with fire arrows. Since the camp is too far away they'd only be put to use if our men ever decided to attack. Bulblins may be imbecilic at the best of times, but they are knowledgeable in methods of killing."

Aiden visibly shivered and peeked out from behind his barrel. "Let's get on with this. This whole place reeks of rotted meat."

Inching forward, Link hissed to Aiden. "Cover for me, and take out the sentries while you're at it. Make sure you don't shoot them off their perches or else it will notify the other monsters."

Aiden drew his bow and notched an arrow, seeking out those shiny beady eyes in the darkness. Link withdrew a rope from his pouch and fastened one end to a pike. He uncoiled the rest and tossed it over the wall down to Amy and Wist. He saw it go taught and knew they'd begun climbing.

They were given enough light from the moon that night to see the different shapes of the structures below them, as well as the darker shadows that moved around as the bulblins patrolled.

Link edged away as Aiden bent to his task, and whispered beneath his breath, "Laval, find all the prisoners as quickly as you can then report back to me."

He sensed his Sheikah shadow detaching from him and sink into the darkness around them. He waited anxiously, watching as Aiden took care of four sentinels with his bow. Link hoped there wouldn't be any shift changes for a few hours.

A minor scuffling at the wall alerted him to Amy's presence. She slid easily over the side and joined him, bending low in a crouch. Wist came soon after and untied the rope, pulling it up to be used for later.

"Aiden, you'll be our rearguard. Watch our backs," said Link, before heading off.

They made their way to the lower level of the fortress, descending down a short stretch of rickety stairs. Their eyes peeled and bodies tense in readiness. Link could feel the blood pumping in his veins, the rush of adrenaline spreading to all parts of his being.

Now on ground level the putrid smell that Aiden had pointed out was heightened further, causing them all to grimace while Wist very near gagged. Link scrunched his nose in distaste. It did smell like rotted meat. He didn't want to list all the things it might be. Bulblins normally had a less then pleasant odor, foul one might say, but this was too strong for just them. It could very well be the remains of a fellow Hylian they scented.

It was not a pleasant thought. Ganondorf may be in the process of turning them into redeads. It was a dark technique derived from the Sheikah, but that Ganondorf had stolen and used as his own. From what he had learned, the process of becoming a redead was painful and torturous wherein a soul was pulled back from beyond the grave, sliced and torn, then sealed to their decaying bodies, left with no intelligence of their own, knowing nothing but the need to kill. If there was one beast that he despised above others it was the redead. Them and their shrill shrieks and deadly embraces. He'd known many a good man and woman who had fallen to them, but Link had learned how to overcome them and found what their weaknesses were. It was never pleasant to have to face them though, especially knowing that they had once been ordinary people.

The prospect of there actually being redeads in the fortress, however, was nil. Not unless there was a cold dank space somewhere below ground where they could dwell. But since not even other monsters would go near them, that theory was void as well. The bulblins wouldn't be so at ease if there were redeads about.

Link didn't know what was worse. Coming across mobile dead corpses, or immobile ones. From the rank smell, it couldn't be anything but.

A sharp twang of the bow indicated that Aiden had shot another bulblin. The bublin gurgled then fell. An instant later all that was left was the arrow and smoke.

Link took a few seconds to look over at it then looked blandly at Aiden, who merely grumbled nervously. That bulblin hadn't even been near enough to be a problem.

"It was freaking me out," Aiden whined.

Link rolled his eyes and continued on. They all flattened themselves against a wall as a bulblin patrol walked past. The beast swaggered slowly, occasionally twisting its head to peer around. The minutes were eating away before finally it had gone.

"Link!" Amy hissed at him.

He regarded her to see her motioning at the wall behind her and at the knob sticking out. She had been leaning against a door.

Until Laval returned they were blind. They'd have to check everywhere for the prisoners. He nodded to her and Amy closed her hand on the knob and twisted slowly. She inched the door open and took a peek inside. She must have seen that it was empty, for she went in and indicated them all to follow her.

It was a storage room. More barrels were lined up against the wall, labeled as either water or oil, pots were stacked on shelves, and to one side a pile of rotting poultry had been left to fester.

Their hands immediately went to cover their breathing orifices. Well, at least now they knew where the Goddess awful smell came from. He felt profound relief that it wasn't Hylians.

"I don't think they check this shed regularly. This might be a good place to regroup if we split up," said Amy, voice muffled by her hand and eyes watering.

Aiden was eyeing the shelves with the pots, expression curious. "You think that they have rupees stored in those?"

"Let's not find out," said Link. "We don't need the noise to attract unwanted attention to us."

The man shifted his bow in his hand. "I didn't mean break them, I meant we could just look inside and see if they store anything valuable in there."

Link could reminisce on all the times he'd broken vases and pots for rupees, and quipped harshly. "Well, we didn't come here to raid. Our objective is to rescue the duke and his men. We don't need you laden down with spoils. You'd only burden yourself."

"Ah, you're right. So sorry," Aiden brushed off, smiling abashed.

"Returning to matters of importance," said Wist, whose whole arm was flung over the bottom half of his face to stifle the stench. "Amy may have the right of it. We might have to split up."

"Precisely what I was thinking," said Link. "I don't think it matters who goes with who. We're all stealth masters here, and we all have both long and short range weapons." He'd seen the miniature crossbow devices attached to Wist and Amy's arms. It would take longer to load and launch them than if they had bows and arrows, but they were not as cumbersome to carry. "The buildings are mostly lined up along the walls. I'll take Aiden and we'll start on the left and work our way around, you two do the same on the right. We'll meet up in the middle. You all saw the larger and sturdier hold at the back? That will be the Augurer's personal quarters. Whatever you do, avoid that area, and if you do meet up with the Augurer, then run and make noise to alert the other group. Stealth won't matter at that point. Am I clear?"

They all muttered their assent and Link adjusted his shield on his arm and pulled his sword out. "If something goes wrong, meet back here, and bring whatever prisoners you find here as well. Captain Roualt said they might not be locked up together, and we don't need extra people following us around while we go rescue the others."

"Right," said Amy.

Wist sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm not fond of the prospect of dealing with Labrynnians."

Link had already moved towards the door and was watching both ways beyond it. "Let's get started."

As he had ordered it, Amy and Wist snuck out to the right, and he and Aiden went left. He'd mainly chosen Aiden to pair off with because it seemed that he was the most inexperienced and liable to make mistakes. He trusted Commander Deb's judgment, but just in case, he would act as a buffer in case Aiden did mess up.

A familiar dark aura neared and then sunk into his shadow. Link moved cautiously as Laval filled him in.

_**Including the duke, there are five prisoners total, all locked in separate cages.**_

Link felt a heavy sense of nostalgia. Why did they never only have one holding cell for their prisoners? It was a nuisance, really.

_**You shall come upon two of them soon. The duke, however, is in the Augurer's hold.**_

Link mentally cursed. Shifting his gaze to Aiden who looked ahead intent, hand gripping his bow tightly, an arrow nocked in readiness.

Certainly Ganondorf would want to keep his prize catch nearby. It would be trouble trying to sneak him out…

Link's ears suddenly perked up. _But wait_…

This would give him the ultimate excuse to face the Augurer. There'd be no need to sneak off on his own, they'd have to check the main hold anyways, and by then he could have the others free the duke and take him to safety while he remained to 'distract' the Augurer.

It could work. He only needed to execute it properly.

He and Aiden hid behind a stack of wooden crates, barely avoiding another bulblin patrol.

"Where do you think the prisoners are kept?" Link asked lowly.

Aiden had tensed his shoulders, peeking around the edges warily. "My guess is as good as yours. I'd say wherever is the most guarded."

_**Enter through the third door you come across, that building will have a stack of logs beside it. From there, take the first corridor to your left before turning right. The first prisoner will be there. The other is within the building beneath the stairs to the ramparts. There are not many on guard here. I do not think they expected anyone to attempt an infiltration and rescue.**_

How fortunate for them. This was going to be cake.

"On my signal we run to that stack of logs over there. Try to run crouched and stick to the shadows," said Link.

Aiden snapped his head at him. "But we'll be passing buildings on the way. They could be places where the prisoners are kept."

"Put some faith in me," said Link, with a reassuring smile. "I know their ways. I've done this before, if you haven't heard."

"Very well," Aiden relented, although doubtfully.

Link gave the signal and they hurried to the logs, low and unobtrusive. They took a moment to pause behind the woodpile in order to gather their bearings before Link ushered them into the building. He winced as the door creaked upon opening, but Laval's unwavering silence gave him confidence that there were no bulblins nearby. He shut it quickly behind them.

He followed Laval's directions and traveled down the corridors without pause or hesitance. Aiden was blustering in confusion.

"Shouldn't we be checking the other halls as well?"

Link was fast becoming irritated at all his questions. At this rate Aiden was likely to suspect him of being a spy for the enemy, the way he knew where to go an what to do. He'd have to convince him otherwise.

"Have you ever heard of an ability called dousing?" asked Link as he swiveled his head, listening for danger.

Aiden seemed taken aback then muttered. "I've heard of it, but I'm not entirely sure what it does."

They paused as they reached the next corridor and Link angled to peer around the corner. "It is a way of finding things. It can be used to locate people or inanimate objects. It doesn't work for everything though, so you can't always count on it."

"I didn't know you could use magic."

Link peered at Aiden from over his shoulder. "Not magic per se, I can only use magical items. I can't cast my own spells."

"That is still very impressive," said Aiden.

Link suddenly motioned him to be quiet. Around the next corner he saw a wooden door with a small barred window at the top. The door was guarded by a pair of bulblins, one of which possessed a short glinting piece of metal dangling from a ring fastened at its waist.

"Stay here and watch the corridor. Shoot any monster that comes near. I'll handle these ones," said Link, striding into the open. He grinned and gave his sword an idle twirl.

The bulblins noticed him at once and screeched before raising their clubs to attack. Link caught the blows with his shield and released a round of combos on one, sending it flying back. He did the same to the other and they both poofed out of existence. In no time at all the fight was done. All that was left was the key that had clattered to the floor.

He picked it up and bounced it a few times on his palm before inserting it in the keyhole and twisting. The door came open with a heavy groan and out came a man still wearing his travel attire, their first prisoner.

"You're not Labrynnian," the man said snappishly.

"We're Hylian. We've come to help you," Link responded carefully.

The Labrynnian nodded and spat, "I saw the whole thing. Filthy vermin. They only have any real power when in a gang. On their own they're nothing."

"Come," said Link, rushed. "Let's get you out of here. Aiden, take him back to the meeting place. I'll go on ahead. Catch up to me when you're done."

Aiden saluted with a broad grin, morale bolstered by their success. "Yes Captain, sir! Right away!"

It looked like Commander Deb didn't need to promote him. His underlings were doing it for her. That made him think. He hadn't really been given a rank for this mission had he? He'd let them call him captain for now, at least until someone of higher station corrected them.

The Labrynnian gave him one last look of gratitude, before hurrying away after Aiden. Link ventured down the corridor in the opposite direction to find the next prisoner.

"Laval, I want you to keep an eye on the Augurer. Inform me if he finds out we're here and if he makes a move."

_**That will leave you alone and unguarded.**_

"The only real danger to me is the Augurer. I've faced hordes of bulblins before, they do not faze me," he said stolidly.

He felt Laval leave his shadow and sighed. Did he really have to fight him at every order? It made him think that Ganondorf had it right to employ relatively mindless obedient beings. They made for less hassle. He supposed there was a trade off there. At least Link's squad could think for themselves and make their own judgments in erratic situations.

He exited the building and went on to the wooden hut beneath the rampart stairs, just as Laval had told him. But as he rounded the next bend he felt the air rush out of his lungs as he collided with someone.

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><p><strong>AN:** **If you haven't noticed, I have a thing for French names. They sound so elegant, I can't help but use them. Even Dasril's name is from the name D'Asril or just Asril.**

**Thanks for reading everybody!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Thanks for reviewing: FallenAngel2298, ObscurityProject, Generala, Death Waltz, Yukiame, Cameron, Bloodspire, PrincessPeach, Rosie, valorycruz and Desperation.**

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><p><span><strong>Chapter 12<strong>

Link reacted instinctively. As they rebounded off each other Link pushed forward and smacked the stranger with a direct shield attack. The man was thrown off guard and stumbled back, giving Link the few seconds he needed to sweep around and hold the figure to his chest, his sword held up to his throat.

The figure stilled and Link could feel the muscles bunching from beneath his hold. He tightened his grip in warning.

"Don't make any sudden movements," he whispered hoarsely, pulling the stranger backwards more into the shadow.

The figure obeyed without objection and they crouched in the dark as a troop of bulblins thronged the area and went about searching for the cause of the noise induced by their scuffle. After a moment of fruitless scanning they hurried off to another location. Link felt fortunate that they hadn't looked a little more thoroughly, one had been standing a mere three feet away.

Now time to deal with his long-time adversary. Oh yes, he'd recognized that mask. The sheer whiteness was wan against the night, the decorative lines marking its features gave it almost an ethereal appearance, like that of a falcon or hawk. Twice this stranger had eluded him, had barely escaped from his clutches, but not this time.

Link felt triumphant as he secured the figure in an inescapable lock. "This must be our third encounter. How we ever managed to bypass introductions so far is beyond me. I'm Link, the prince's bodyguard. Well met." He applied more pressure around the stranger's waist. "Now who are you?"

His question received no reply and Link grew quickly frustrated. Conspicuously he pressed the steel of his blade in the gap between cloak and mask where a limited amount of skin from the neck was exposed. The figure stiffened like a board at the touch of cold metal. Hopefully he would see that Link's threat was serious and give in accordingly. Link had no desire to shed his blood. Actually he was impressed by the stranger's diligence, but this was becoming superfluous. His tolerance was limited, and he'd had enough.

"I have given you my name. I expect the same courtesy."

Bodies pressed closely together, his front to the stranger's back, Link was astonished at the stranger's slight form. He would have to be pretty slender to be as speedy as he was. Thinking back to their chase in the castle and over the rooftops it was like all the stranger's moves had been effortless, with no heaviness to weigh him down. He felt small, his waist was narrowed considerably compared to his hips and torso, it was…almost…feminine…

Before that revelation had the time to fully settle, the stranger suddenly shot her hand up and pressed two fingers into the inside of his left wrist, hard. Link jerked and pulled back as the figure then twisted his arm and forced him down.

Link blinked astonished. The stranger then dropped down next to him and yanked the arm that had been holding her upwards, shield covering them both. A ringing pang and small vibration on his shield arm let him know that they'd been shot at. Loud screeching accompanied the miss and thundering footsteps on wood announced the arrival of more bulblins.

Link tugged the stranger closer and braced his shield arm as more clangs sounded against the shield and arrows thudded to the ground feet away.

"Shit!" He'd only been able to save one man. He hoped the others fared better.

They were trapped as a barrage of arrows fired at them. He had to get back to base and regroup with the others.

His ears picked up a light zing of metal, then the stranger leaned around his shield and flung an array of projectiles at the enemy. There were hoarse squeals and gurgling before the barrage fully halted. Link cautiously lowered his shield and saw the numerous dead bulblin bodies vanishing into smoke one by one. At least they'd leave behind no evidence.

The stranger pushed away and for some reason Link let her. She sauntered over to where the bulblins had perished and bent down to pick something up.

Link went over and saw that they were long thin shards of metal. Throwing needles, or senbon as they were often called.

His eyes became half-lidded as he regarded her anew. In his previous pursuits of the white-masked being Laval had said she hadn't emitted killing intent. And the last he saw of her she had killed a pair of those keaton-masked assassins…

"You're…not on their side, are you?" he questioned smoothly, well aware that it didn't make her any less of a conundrum, or a danger. If her actions just now and that night on the rooftops was anything to go by, he could safely assume that she was a third party involved in whatever it was they were dealing with.

The stranger rose, clutching her fistful of senbon, and turned her masked face in his direction. Slowly, she shook her head in the negative.

It came to Link that this figure would not speak. For some reason she wouldn't voice anything out loud. Whether she was incapable of it or she hoped to further conceal her identity, he was unsure.

This did not sit well with him.

"Why are you here? Are you Labrynnian? Are you after the duke?"

Was that it? Was she a Labrynnian spy? That would explain her sudden appearance so close to the ceremony and why she hadn't any killing intent. That would explain so many things. It was the most plausible conclusion he could think of. Well, he'd collaborated with people of worse backgrounds. That's how he'd made so many allies in his days.

"I take it you had no knowledge of our little operation. You're pretty capable. You'd be a great help if you joined us. Only until the duke and his retinue have been rescued, of course," he said, his proposal sincere.

He should have known that the Labrynnian ambassador wouldn't fully count on Hyrule to free her own people. Yes, it all made sense now. At first the ambassador had her spy investigate him as he was a new implement at the prince's side, and she'd probably been around since then searching for footholds to gain an advantage over Hyrule.

Whatever. He'd inform Lady Brula and the prince when he returned to the castle. He wouldn't let it get in the way of forming a temporary truce, beneficial to both ends.

He was about to start back to the designated meeting place when he heard a pounding sound. The walls to the little shack beneath the rampart stairs was shaking as someone smashed their foot against the wood.

"Is somebody out there? Quickly! Let me out before those monsters get back!"

The stranger took one of her needles and expertly picked the lock in seconds. Link gave her an obtrusive glance. He would have had to look around for a key to get that open. If anything his new ally was efficient.

As soon as the lock clicked the prisoner wasted no time and swung the door open, nearly knocking Link in the face. Link took a quick step back out of the way as the man barged out. He looked worse for wear, with crumpled clothes and hair in disarray. Typical bulblin treatment, as shoddy as usual.

"Where are them stinking blighters! I'll roast them! I'll skewer them with a fork!"

"Simmer down, will you!" hissed Link, looking around. The stranger similarly tensed and slouched a bit in readiness, peering around.

They had evicted the area of enemies for the time being, but more may come soon. They didn't need to be found out just yet, especially by some loudmouthed idiot guard. At least the last man went quietly without difficulty. This one may prove to be more problematic.

"I hell as not will simmer down! Where's his grace? And where's that filthy Augurer? I'll show him, I will! All self-assured and cocky when his varmint slaves caught us and brought us here. Let's see how cocky he is after I give him a thrashing he won't forget. By the dark one, he deserves it. That Goddess forsaken cad!"

By the Goddess, he'd throw him back into his cell if he didn't shut up!

He bit his cheek to keep from snapping, his patience would last only so long.

A flurry of clouds swept across the sky and blocked the crescent moon from sight. The wan light that had been guiding Link's movements so far disappeared and all that was left was the faint glimmer of the array of torches around the fortress, most of them on the ramparts.

His eyes slowly dilated to their maximum but it did little to help overall. His vision had been seriously impeded. He couldn't see anything in the darkened areas.

The sudden loss of sight seemed to have the benefit of halting the man's ranting. Along with the light it seemed his zeal had gone too, or at least it made him aware that they were in an exigent position.

Link felt the warmth of his approach as he huddled down.

"Which way to the duke then? Come on, we don't have all night," the former prisoner urged, his whispering voice uttered with the amplitude of normal speech, only more throaty.

It grated on his eardrums. "I'll have to take you back to base first."

"And then we'll plan the duke's retrieval from there," said the man.

Link gnashed his teeth. "No. You'll stay there with the others while _I_ go rescue his grace. Along with Hawk, that is." He titled his head toward the pale mask, which seemed to be the only thing he could make out at close quarters. Not that either of them noticed the action.

"What say you, Hawk?" he asked.

Hawk was the name he'd chosen to christen the masked stranger with. It seemed appropriate as her mask characterized the features of a bird of prey, and since she did not appear eager to word anything out loud he had to give her something to call her by. Hawk it was. Simple, suitable, and easy to remember.

There was no indication of Hawk's response, but a moment later he felt a small tap on his arm that he took as a 'yes'.

It would be better if they moved to more torchlight. He didn't count on the moon revealing itself anytime soon so they had to make do.

"Wait around while some Hylian does the work for us? Oh, I know you're Hylian, your pointed ears give you away. What sort of Labrynnian do you think that makes me, not saving one of my own? I'm the duke's guard! It is a disgrace if I cannot defend him!"

_It is a disgrace then that you allowed him to be caught,_ Link thought privately to himself. Although he could admire the man's valor. It was always heartening to find men who would risk life and limb for their liege lords or liege ladies. But this wasn't an argument he needed right now.

"For some reason," Link hissed irately, "I don't think subtle is your thing."

The man barked out a laugh. "Who said anything about being subt - garh!"

It happened so fast Link had to take a moment to process everything before he realized that they had not again been sighted by the enemy, but Hawk had quickly and sufficiently found a way to shut him up. Through the heavy cloak of darkness he could vaguely make out Hawk pressed against the man with a dagger to his throat in a hold reminiscent of the one he'd only recently used on her, threatening him to silence.

Whoever she was, Link liked her tenacity.

He smirked. It seemed that she wouldn't be taking strife from him, even if he was one of her own.

"Now I'll explain again," Link spoke in a hushed voice to the man. "We're going to take you back to base, leave you there, and rescue the duke. You're going to come quietly and not fuss. Savvy?"

The man grunted and Hawk backed off, still watchful of the former prisoner should he regress on his decision. This time the man said not a word, but Link imagined he had a look of vast displeasure adorning his face.

Link led them back the way he had come, drifting closer to the torches so they could better see their footing. He also didn't want them to accidentally knock over any crates or bump into something that would make a loud noise.

Time was running short. By the voyage of the moon across the sky, before it became hidden that is, he had calculated that about nearly an hour had passed. He'd see how Wist and Amy fared and if they needed assistance rescuing the men that had been assigned to them. He decided it was best to rescue the duke's retinue before they moved on to the duke himself. It was unlikely that they'd go unnoticed upon entering the Augurer's keep. The duke might be the most important on the mission but to Link every life counted. The more he could save the better.

Rescuing this brutish man made him doubt that though, but he was being quiet for now so that was a bonus.

Link came short as he encroached the next building and swiftly rushed them to the shadows.

A group of moblins had just exited the building in front of him. Moblins were different than bulblins, larger and broader, their looks were more piggish and less goblin-like. Their senses weren't that much better than the bulblins, but they were quicker and their blows could crush bones – this he knew from experience as he'd required the services of more than one healing fairy that day. Too bad he hadn't collected any healing fairies yet, all he had on him were red potions.

The moblins stopped outside the door and grunted to each other in their guttural speech. It didn't look like they were going to move anytime soon.

_Drat_. They didn't have the time to defeat them.

"I'm going to get them," the guard snarled, thankfully low.

He moved forward but the sharp point of Hawk's blade against his throat prevented him from doing much more. From the glimmer of the torch Link could see the man was clearly peeved.

What an odd predicament. They had just rescued the man from his cell, freeing him, and yet they treated him as if he were now their prisoner. It was his own fault really. He had forced their hand with how abrasive he was being. Hawk was right to forcefully keep him in line. And Link would do nothing other than derive amusement from it all.

Focusing on the problem at hand, Link wracked his mind for a solution but only found one good one. "Come on. We'll take another route."

He urged them back towards the cell. The man grumbled his dissent but at Hawk's prodding he hastily obeyed.

They silently traveled back and Link rounded the building and took the stairs to the ramparts.

"The sentinels have all been shot down. This way should be safe for us," he explained, stepping as softly as he could manage on the rickety stairs, wincing at every creak and groan.

The sentinels were indeed all absent, Aiden did a fair job of taking them out as not one remained and not one had fallen down below to alert the other monsters before they vanished. He was pleased to see that the change of shift hadn't happened yet either, but that could occur anytime now. If the new watch arrived and found the ramparts vacant that would immediately tell them that something was up. Even bulblins were smart enough to know that their kind didn't just disappear unless they were killed.

Link determined that his team would have to be done and gone by then.

If it were light out he'd be able to survey the entire grounds of the fortress. He focused on peering down and looking for Amy and Wist when his sleeve was suddenly pulled.

Hawk was looking out over the grounds too, but she was not looking inwards, her mask was directed outside the fortress over the field and to where Link distinguished the pricks of light that represented the Hylian camp.

He was about to ask what exactly she wanted him to see – despite that she wouldn't or couldn't respond – when he noticed it. In that time the moon had just started peeking from behind its clouded curtain, raining it's luminescent glow down on the world once more, offering Link a renewed field of view. That's when he saw it.

One of the Hylian sentries was suddenly pulled into the darkness as if something had grabbed him. He saw movement on the field as more bulblins crept up onto the camp, sneaking their way in.

That is why the fortress hadn't been as well protected as he'd thought it would be. That is why the monsters hadn't taken action against the Hylians before. They'd planned to do it when their guards were at their lowest. By taking out the sentries Captain Roualt and the others wouldn't be alerted to the oncoming threat.

"Goddesses! They'll all be murdered in their beds!" exclaimed the Labrynnian man, grasping around the pointed spikes of the palisade and leaning over.

However, Link was more optimistic than that. "No they won't!" he hissed with conviction. "Follow me, and quickly."

A good Hylian could take on three bulblins at once. He just had to let them know that they had opponents to fight.

They were close to the gates now, just above the entry to the fortress. Link grabbed one of the heavy barrels he'd seen before and pulled it over, grunting with the effort.

The Labrynnian man eyed him doubtfully. "And what do you plan on doing with those?"

Link grit his teeth and succeeded in shifting it to a gap in the wall created especially for those barrels. "We're going to create some fireworks. Help me push it over, will you."

"The name's Broca," the man said tersely, but moved in to help.

With the additional weight of Hawk, the barrel was soon turned on its side and held still.

Link got out his bow and leaned it against the wall. He took an arrow and ripped a part of his shirt off. He withdrew a bomb from within his pouch and wound the fabric over the head, attaching the bomb securely. He then touched the fuse to a nearby torch, instantly igniting it. He picked up his bow and slotted the arrow, nodding.

"Now, push it over."

With combined effort, they heaved their bodies against the massive barrel and soon it was sent tumbling over the wall. It hit the ground and remarkably did not break as it began to roll downhill. Link took aim, his vision keen and narrowed, then fired.

His aim was true and the bomb arrow impacted, causing the barrel to burst. A loud cacophony of fire erupted in the night, creating a loud explosive roar that echoed over the field.

They didn't have long to wait as yells sounded in the distance followed by a surge of activity down by the Hylian camp.

Link grinned. Catastophe averted! He then became subdued as he thought about those sentries who have already been slaughtered brutally by the bulblins.

_Goddesses watch over them._

"Not much of a display," gruffed Broca causticly. Link could hear the worry leave him. No matter that their countries were out of sorts with each other it had still bothered the burly man at the thought of people dying to monsters.

There was a smile to his voice when Link answered. "Stick around and you'll see better." The base wasn't too far off now. He looked over to Hawk who was still facing the camp. "They'll be fine. They're only bulblins, simple to defeat."

If the Augurer had decided to send out moblins for that attack then there might have been some trouble. It seemed though that he was saving his stronger forces for later. If Link hadn't taken action then a group of bulblins would have been all that was needed to destroy the platoon.

Hawk stared a bit longer then swept away, her cloak billowing behind her. Link took them along the rampart to the east side stairs close to where he and his team had entered the fortress.

The explosion did well to wake the Hylians, but it also worked to give away his team's position. Now the monsters would know that there were intruders in the fortress.

He could see higher levels of activity below as more bulblins and moblins came out and started scouring around, hollering to each other as if in argument.

Link ducked low and nocked an arrow, aiming it downwards. As he'd told Laval, it was only the Augurer that concerned him. Why not take out this fraction of his forces in the meantime. His squad and Hawk had already done away with a good chunk of them, and perhaps half had been sent to raid the Hylian camp and would soon be dealt with.

He fingered the nock and then let it loose. It struck a bulblin square in the face causing it to fall down dead among its comrades. The horde shrieked and clicked with apprehension, backing away as the body disappeared. They saw the direction that the arrow had come from and raised their clubs in fury before rushing for the stairs.

Without pause, Link quickly drew another arrow and released it, felling another bulblin.

Broca yelped and ducked as an arrow thudded right next to his head. "Subtle, you said. Well, I don't see no subtle here!" he growled, his hands clenching as he instinctively sought the feel of a weapon.

Link meticulously targeted all their bowmen. "Subtle left us when we dropped that barrel." He licked the fletching of his next arrow and shot it at a moblin. They usually required multiple shots to bring down even when struck in vulnerable areas like the neck. They had an annoying resilience.

Hawk crouched immobile, readying her needles. Their foes were not quite within her range.

Slowly the number of enemies they were faced with dwindled. Link had taken out all their long-range fighters and had shot any that came close to the stairs. Soon the only ones remaining were the few that had been smart enough to seek cover from the onslaught. The last of the moblins made a dash for it to the keep to warn the Augurer.

Link swiftly brought one to heel with a shot to its meaty calf, another he struck in the shoulder but that did little to slow it down.

He lowered his bow as the moblins made it through the doors and inside. Now he'd have the Augurer to contend with. He was confident Laval would give warning when the Augurer decided to make his appearance, for now he had to get the prisoners out and get to the duke.

"Serves them right, the scoundrels!" Broca grumbled, standing up and glaring down at the mess of dissipating smoke and arrow-studded ground. He held one burly hand out to Link. "Give me a sword, looks like you missed a few."

The bulblins that had taken cover were slowly coming out. Link watched them then put his bow away. These he could fight at close quarters. He didn't want to waste the rest of his diminishing supply of arrows.

"You don't get a weapon until you're back in camp or unless we're cornered," said Link smoothly unsheathing his sword.

Broca was about to argue, but the feeble light glinting off of Hawk's dagger stilled his tongue and he could do naught but nod.

The area around the shed smelled just as putrid as before and Link took a few deep breaths before he opened the door and they were really assaulted.

At once cold steel barred his way, before it quickly withdrew.

"Link, sir!" said Aiden in pure shock. "When we heard that explosion we thought you were a goner."

Link patted the man's shoulder and entered, followed closely by Broca and Hawk. He took a look around and found the rest of the duke's retinue safe and waiting with sallow faces, standing as far away from the rotting meat as possible.

Broca shoved forward, his larger bulk easily toppling Link into Hawk.

Link pulled away and apologized profusely while Hawk simply straightened out her cloak.

"Reeve! Arran! Leb! Those dastardly fiends had me believe that you'd all been cooked and eaten, the savages!"

One of the men snorted in annoyance. "How can you think that? You can't understand a word they say."

"I could tell by their taunting jeers," spoke Broca gruffly. "They were far too satisfied to have not done something. For a while I thought I was the only one left to save his grace. And where's Ines? Don't tell me that he was the first of us to go!"

The man sighed and replied. "No, he's fine. The Hylian here was telling us that Ines escaped and made it to the town. That's how they were able to organize a rescue so quickly."

As the men continued talking, Link registered the absence of Amy and Wist. He felt a growing trepidation well up inside him. "Where are the others?"

Aiden looked over at him then further along at Hawk. "They went after the duke. Who's this?"

"Hawk. A friend." _For now_, he silently added. Depending on Hyrule's standing with Labrynna when they got back.

Amy and Wist had beat him to base and went on alone. If they came face to face with Ganondorf he didn't want to consider what would happen to them. Any other foe would see the benefit of arresting them and keeping them for ransom. They were both high-class nobles whose families would be willing to barter a fortune for their safe return, but Ganondorf had only ever been after power. Riches wouldn't sway him.

"I want you to get these men out. I've cleared up most of the fortress, the last few bulblins should be easy for you to handle. Get to the gates and head for the camp. Some of the bulblins attempted a sneak attack, but our people should have taken care of them by now. In any case, keep an eye out for any stray monsters," Link ordered silently.

"You sending us away then? Well I won't stand for it!" Broca stormed up to him and Link was suddenly faced with a six foot five brute of a man and had to crane his head up to stare him in the eyes. "We're the duke's guards. I won't run away when he's still in danger. None of us will. We wouldn't be able to live with the shame. Give us weapons and we can fight, we won't be caught by surprise again."

Link considered him then wordlessly pulled out one of the daggers strapped to his belt. He handed it hilt first to Broca who took it gratefully. He grasped it in well-seasoned hands.

Link relinquished his second dagger to another man and Aiden handed over a knife and a short sword to the last two.

"Fine, you may all help, but this doesn't mean all of us will be going after the duke. Aiden, you and two others will secure our escape route. See to it that once we bring the duke out nothing gets in our way. Eliminate any enemies you come across. The rest of us will go to the keep after Amy and Wist," he said purposefully.

"Shouldn't we have at least one person go to camp and warn them of what is happening?" asked Aiden.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea. In the dark they might mistake you for a bulblin. A lone person might raise more suspicion than a group of us," said Link.

Aiden nodded. "Very well, Captain. You two, with me."

The two men nodded resolutely and headed outside. Aiden sent one last glance at Link and his party before slipping out.

Link flexed his wrist and spun his sword. Their operation was about to reach its crescendo and he didn't want to miss it. He cast a bold glance at the others and smiled grimly. "Alright men. Time to take out the trash."

Broca and the other man gave out an unnecessarily loud '_huzzah_!' while Hawk just stood quietly.

It was time to face Ganondorf.

There was no stealth in their movements this time. As they left the storage shed and walked out onto the fortress grounds Link felt the emptiness of the fortress as if all life had been sucked away from it. He wagered the only enemies left were with the Augurer in the keep.

A familiar shadow melded with his and he waited to hear Laval's report.

_**The Augurer is indeed stronger than he appears. He's evicted me from his shadow and continues to repel me. I do not think he knew that I was there, but he is taking no chances. He is planning something.**_

Link's blood was pounding in his ears, raging within him like a force of anticipation. The prospect of engaging his long time enemy in battle once more was thrilling, but he was not so excited that it blinded him to the very real threat that Ganondorf posed. It may be utter nostalgia that he felt now, however it didn't escape him how serious this was.

The keep was barred by a heavy wooden door, no doubt a beam secured it shut from the inside. It would take too much effort to break it in, but that was fine, he'd just bomb it.

"Everyone, stay back," he cautioned as he took a bomb out of his pouch and lit it. The two men and Hawk complied as he held it above his head and tossed it at the door. The fuse fizzed and then went off, shattering the door and sending shards of wood flying everywhere.

Link brought his shield down and the others emerged from behind the wall they been using as cover. Link flicked off a few splashes of dust from his dark tunic and headed in.

They encountered the moblins who had escaped Link's arrows from before, although, they were all dead. Felled by the wooden planks of the door that had been formed into deadly skewers from the explosion. Their bodies were littered with wood shards and burns.

"The lot deserved it," murmured Broca, stepping over a beefy arm that had been torn from its socket. The arm poofed out along with its owner and the rest of the moblins.

"There's only the Augurer now," said Link solemnly.

"What makes you so sure?" asked the other man, skeptically.

Link walked forward. "Just a guess. It doesn't matter at any rate."

In the next room they found the target of their operation. The duke was positioned in the middle of the room, tied and gagged to a chair and wriggling furiously as he tried to get loose. His eyes at once found them and they furrowed in an angry line. The men beside him flinched.

"We're in for it all right," spoke Broca lowly. "We failed to protect him. We're his retainers and we fell for an ambush."

His comrade shrunk back as the duke silently raged in his chair. "He'll have us flogged for sure."

It amazed Link how the two large men could be cowed so much. The duke was a rat-faced man with a very thin and bony structure. His clothes were of the finest quality but had been torn and frumpled in parts. He was like Lord Kincaid, Link thought, easy to snap in half. His two retainers far outmatched him. But then that was society for you. It was not always the brawn or skill that held the most power, it was status.

Feeling mildly sympathetic, Link clapped a supportive hand on Broca's arm. "Best take it like men. You can't leave him for dead, can you? I wouldn't delay the inevitable, at least have it done and over with. If you are to receive a thrashing then take it like steel."

Emboldened by his words, Broca thrust back his shoulders and strode forward to untie the duke.

He left gag as it was and started on cutting the ropes fastening the duke's legs to the chair. He grunted as the legs started kicking wildly and caught him in the knee, then cut the ropes at his waist then arms. As soon as his first arm came free, the duke tore off the gag and began spewing his discontent at them.

"You pathetic low life imbeciles! What do I pay you for? How hard is it to see me safely to Hyrule without any complications! How dare you show your faces to me again! You should have run while you had the chance. Gone into hiding! That's the only way you would have saved your pathetic hides! When we _finally_ arrive at Hyrule I'll-"

Link tuned him out after that. It was the ramblings of a screechy-voiced pampered noble, although both guards seemed to wilt further.

Things were going too smoothly…it was worrisome. There were a few things that bothered him. For one, where were Wist and Amy? Had they detoured when they couldn't get through the door, or had they gone back to base? If so then surely he would have encountered them. Two, the duke placed alone, centered in the room screamed bait, and they'd just walked into a trap.

A grating sound emitted from behind them as bars quickly slid over the door, sealing them inside. Hawk withdrew the sword at her waist, curiously far shorter than the sheath it was held in, and spread her legs in a fighting stance.

Broca and the other guard appeared to have become aware as well and brought up their daggers.

"What's wrong with you now? Have you all gone daft!" the duke of Lynna spat.

There was another grating sound and a pair of identical doors on either side of them, that Link hadn't initially noticed, opened. The duke jumped and cowered behind Broca as two sets of footsteps tapped lightly into the room from each door.

His pulse jumped at who was revealed and he tucked his chin, mouth set in a grim line.

Amy and Wist took the same measured steps forward and then halted at precisely the same moment. Link looked left to right, from one to the other. Their faces were pallid and expressionless, their eyes glazed over, as if unseeing. It didn't take a genius to tell that they were not themselves.

The other guard relaxed. "Don't worry. These are the ones that freed me. They-"

Like lighting Amy flew forward and her blade met the tender meat of the man's chest, sword point protruding from his back.

The man gasped and looked down, bewildered, blood pooling out his mouth. Amy pulled free her sword and the man dropped to the ground.

"Reeve!" yelled Broca, despaired, then shot his angered gaze to Amy. "You filthy wench!"

Amy didn't react, didn't so much as look over at him. Broca took a swipe at her and she floated back, hair unfurled from its tie and floating lazily around her.

"Don't harm her! You must not injure either Lady Delage or Lord Perth! They are possessed!" said Link, taking a stance as Wist drew closer. Hawk's back was to his as she kept an eye on Amy.

Broca realized the implication of Amy's title and bit back a retort. One could face serious repercussions for insulting a noble the way he had, ignorant or not. "Then what should we do? They mean to kill us!"

And it looked like just that as Wist began to circle him slowly.

"Well do something! Kill them! Just kill them!" shot the duke crazed.

Link clenched his muscles as Wist raised his sword. "Protect the duke." He shot forward and engaged Wist in a battle.

It was like his first meeting with Zellandus. There was no dual protection to defend him from Wist's slicing, he wore the aegis suit beneath his clothes but it was useless here and he couldn't very well attack all out lest he harm Wist. He was forced to defend as Wist rained down blows on him. At this rate he'd become an expert at dodging and evading in no time.

He heard the sure sounds of fighting going on behind him and knew that Hawk had found her opponent in Amy and was defending similarly to him. Occasionally the movement of his fight would allow him glimpses of them. He at one point saw Hawk fly to the ceiling and kick downwards to meet her foe.

He zoned out the duke's continuous screeching of 'Kill them! Kill theeeem!', knowing that was not an option. But they couldn't defend forever, he had to find out how to break the possession. Usually it was a foreign piece of jewelry somewhere adorning their bodies, but he didn't see anything like that.

He backed up and Wist rushed forward, taking the created space in two floating hops, almost as if he were being carried through the air…

An idea came to him.

Was that it? Were they really being carried? It couldn't be that simple.

Determined to try, he feinted low then altered the route of his sword so that it slashed diagonally upwards, missing Wist's arm and head by a hairs breath and tearing the air above.

He hadn't expected his plan to work, but he was filled with triumph as the left half of Wist's body suddenly sagged and his head drooped, eyes closing.

"Hawk, slice at the air above her. They're being controlled by strings!" he shot over his shoulder and parried as Wist continued his onslaught, no matter that half his body remained limp and dysfunctional.

Link dodged and rolled, shooting up he finished off the last strings that clung to Wist. Wist's body dropped to the floor completely unconscious and immobile.

Feeling rather vindictive, Link left him there. He deserved it after being caught and making a nuisance of himself with the inconvenience. A sore back and a crick in the neck might teach him to wait next time. If he'd been there this wouldn't have happened.

He turned to Hawk just as Amy fell to the floor, her strings cut, no longer a puppet. Hawk bent to see to the girl and Link then looked around for the Augurer.

This was exactly the type of sorcery suited to Ganondorf. Dominating another person was what he mastered in. If a person did not willfully submit to him, he'd somehow force them to.

The bars grated open, granting them access to the exit.

He inspected the rooms that Amy and Wist had emerged from to find them mere cubicles with no real purpose. He was disappointed. They'd have to go back and choose another door. The Augurer was somewhere else. But now that they had everyone, including the loudmouthed duke, how was he to slip away and find him?

From the ground Wist groaned and began to stir.

With that problem nagging at him, Link bent down and helped the Lord up to a sitting position as he massaged his head and slowly blinked his eyes open, squinting as he looked around.

"Wha-what?" he slurred, and Link placed him against the wall.

"Take a moment to regain your bearings. We'll be off as soon as you're ready," he said.

He was stalling, waiting in the hopes that the Augurer would come.

"Reeve! He's still alive! Does anyone have a red potion?" blurted Broca, frantically, hovering over his comrade.

Link was surprised the man survived. Instantly his hand went to his pouch. "I have one here! A few, if he needs more."

He noticed Hawk's hand move away from beneath her cloak as she continued tending to Amy as she began to rouse.

He bit off the cork with his teeth and handed the bottle to Broca who practically shoved the liquid down Reeve's throat. Reeve displayed no reaction for a while and then he coughed and spewed as he cleared his throat of blood. They witnessed the instant amazing healing effects of the potion as Reeve breathed in deeply, inflating his punctured lung as the organ became whole.

"Reeve, are you alright?" Broca supported Reeve's back and pulled him carefully to his feet.

Reeve chuckled lowly. "Damn. That hurt."

"I'd imagine so."

Gradually they were all recovering. The longer he waited it appeared more likely that the Augurer wasn't going to come. Perhaps he'd teleported himself away already like he was said to do to escape detection. The thought irritated him. It meant that an indefinite amount of time would pass before he was sighted once more.

He didn't have the patience to wait for him. He might very well abandon Zellandus early and go hunt for the man himself.

"Hurry it up then! We have to leave this place as soon as possible, those beasts might return any second now," the duke shouted, leaving Link's ears ringing.

"Let them rest. We can move twice as fast when they have their strength back. Moving out now would slow our progress," said Link, although now that it seemed he wouldn't be facing Ganondorf he was eager to leave as well.

"Well I'm not staying here a moment longer. If you don't want to leave then you can all rot here. I'm going!" the duke spun in a huff and marched to the door, throwing it open and slamming it shut on his way out.

"Your grace!" called Broca in panic.

Link placated him, "Leave him be. There's no more enemies around to harm him, and he'll run into Aiden and the others soon enough."

Broca seemed to be battling with concern for the duke and for his friend before the latter won out and he focused on assisting Reeve. Wist and Amy were making hasty comebacks as their minds cleared of the control and they could now fully move their bodies on their own.

"I think I'm good. We should head out. Monsters or not, I don't like this place," said Wist, his legs were trembling but he resolutely ignored that.

Link looked at both Amy and Wist, and nodded once. It was time they were off.

A loud screaming had them all snapping their heads up and momentarily stilling.

"The duke!" shot Broca in dawning horror.

Wasting no time, Link, Broca and Hawk raced to the door as the other three stumbled over weakly.

They shot through the first room. Another scream led them through the exit to the outside.

The duke had stumbled and fallen backwards on his rear, and was scrambling away from the being before him. Ten feet in front of him rose the most menacing figure derived from any children's horror tale.

Clad in black armor and bearing an enlargened symbol of the Triforce on his chest plate, the Augurer stood imposingly. His face and head were concealed beneath a great horned helm and visor, but Link could almost see his pale yellow eyes glinting with menacing amusement over them. He was flanked by twenty or so moblins, each snarling, dirtied yellow fangs bared and threatening.

He could see Aiden and the other two men frozen on the other side of the entourage, not daring to move, to do anything in the face of such an adversary.

The Augurer turned his head to look at them and the duke whimpered fearfully.

"I commend your achievement, not many are capable of getting this close to me." His voice was deep and vile, slightly distorted as it echoed from within his helm.

Link bared his teeth. The way he was attired in that armor… it bore too close a resemblance to an iron knuckle. Even more so than redeads, iron knuckles were his most hated opponents. They were amazingly strong and suffered blows as if they were pricks, this made them dangerous and annoying to kill, but above all what stirred his hatred for them was that it was an iron knuckle that had killed Zelda. Because of them he'd had to suffer alone until the next life, he'd been robbed of his chance to atone, her last moments alive had been filled with pain.

For that he would crush him, because in the end it all led back to that deadly stab she'd received from Ganondorf. If it weren't for that she might have survived!

And now he led an empty existence because she was still gone.

Rational thought declared that it was an act of the Goddesses that she was not here with him, but his current irrational mind blamed it on Ganondorf.

"As despicable as ever. I shall stain my sword with your blood!" Link snarled, hoisting sword and shield up.

Face to face with Ganondorf once more… It was just like old times.

"Your have no power, you are inhibited compared to me. You think you can match my might?" Ganondorf growled low in amusement. He didn't even bother to unsheathe the massive blade that hung at his waist. His arrogance infuriated Link.

He shifted his legs apart and tensed. No time for thought, he would end this now!

Ganondorf began to laugh, it started out as a low chuckle before it augmented into a full blown guffaw.

Link's eyes sparked with fury. He charged, sword drawn back, his movements fuelled by his desire for blood and revenge.

The Augurer's form began to waver, then it flashed a blinding red. Link skid to a halt and raised an arm to shield his eyes from the onslaught. When next he opened them the Augurer was gone. He'd vanished and taken all his moblins with him.

He tensed and the others swerved their heads around as a deep laughing voice cut the air, "We'll meet again, and then you'll have your blood! Be it mine or yours...we shall see."

Ganondorf's voice faded and any lingering sign of him was gone.

Link abandoned his stance and stood stock still, form quivering with suppressed rage and frustration. He grit his teeth and cursed vilely, slashing his sword down through the air. Where was a bulblin when he needed one? He felt like killing something!

A small part of him was relieved. The doubtful part of him argued that he needed to retrieve the Master Sword to properly defeat Ganondorf. He might injure with a normal sword, but to kill him he required the Goddesses' power. But another part of him, vastly larger, had hoped that this would be enough. The preempting him, attacking before Ganondorf took over Hyrule, he'd be strong enough to deal him death.

He shook his head. It was wishful thinking. Maybe this was for the best.

"Link? Are you well?" a calm voice asked of him.

He identified it as Amy's and only then did he realize he'd been standing unmoving for a full three minutes. He sighed and relaxed his shoulders, turning to the small group.

"I'm fine," he responded quietly, eyes roving over all of them, accounting for any injuries. Fortunately, they were all relatively unharmed. "There's nothing more for us to do here. Let's go."

They joined with Aiden and the other Labrynnians and walked out of the fortress, leaving it cold and desolate. Sometime during the encounter with the Augurer, the duke had fainted. Broca easily slung him over his shoulder, unrepentant as he carried him out of the fortress. Aiden spoke with Wist and Amy, a happy lilt to his voice, cheerful at a mission gone well, despite the perils.

The sun was slowly cresting over the horizon, casting its fiery glow upon the land. Link blinked, remembering something.

He stopped and turned around, gazing up at the fortress, still in range.

"What's the matter, Captain?" asked Aiden who was first to notice Link peculiar behavior.

The others looked over as well and watched perplexed as Link withdrew something from his pouch and grabbed an arrow. He then pulled out his bow and took aim. Aiming high, Link pulled back on his bowstring and released the bomb arrow. It went soaring over the palisade and exploded as it landed.

That first explosion caused a train of other explosions as each barrel of oil went up in flames one by one. Soon the whole fortress was ablaze and roaring, black smoke searing the sky.

Their gazes were hooked as they watched the fortress burn. Link gazed solemnly at the sight. Fireworks, just as he'd promised.

No one seemed to notice when Zelda, disguised as 'Hawk', took out her warp stone and vanished.

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><p><strong>AN: Here's an interesting fact: I just learned that in Ocarina of Time, iron knuckles are said to all be Gerudos. Apparently if you look at a certain angle while playing the game you see the face of a Gerudo inside the helmet (I'm not only talking about the battle with Nabooru here), and tearing off the armour reveals a feminine shaped body. I don't know if this is true, but who knew, right?**


	13. Chapter 13

**Thank you for reviewing: Cameron, ObscurityProject, Death Waltz, FallenAngel2298, Bluedolphin, Generala, Guest for May 14, PrincessPeach, Andrastos, Yukiame, Bloodspire, stallordspinner, The Ocarina of Sky, and ShadowQueenMidna!**

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><p><span><strong>Chapter 13<strong>

"We haven't been here in so long! It feels like ages," exclaimed Adra, her excitement reflected in her body language as well as her voice. The way she almost skipped as she walked, the brightening of her eyes as they swept over the terrain, how she gripped the strap of her bag that much tighter.

Vrel couldn't keep the smile from his face. After over three long weeks they were coming home, if only for a short while. In a conversation he'd mentioned briefly to Rob, the man who owned the chemist shop, that he was from Heron Falls and his employer had at once writ out a list of dried herbs he wanted and sent Vrel to go get them.

He didn't mind the trip. Maybe he could get a discount from his mother. He rather liked his employer. And he'd brought a gift for her, another almanac to add to their meager collection. He fingered the book in his pack, brushing over the frail cover and spine.

He'd asked Adra if she wanted to come along and she'd jumped on it. In truth they were both a bit homesick. Adra had gone to the castle to see if Link wanted to come as well, but he'd not been there.

Vrel found that curious. What could Link possibly be doing that took him away from Castle Town? Wasn't he supposed to be watching the prince? After all, he was an all-important bodyguard now. A master swordsman. Whenever Vrel dined with Adra after a hard day at work she always gushed about how all the soldiers at the pub said that Link was a wolf in battle, that he'd even bested the prince, and saved his life seven times already from assassins.

He ground his teeth. Not all of that could be true. At least some of it had to be exaggerated. Whether or not it was, Adra sung him praises and he found he didn't like her pitch.

"The gatepost is just ahead. I'll race you," she said playfully.

Vrel let her get a head start before he decided to humor her and ran after. She'd always been into racing games, and no matter that he was annoyed with her he couldn't find it in himself to refuse her indulgence.

She was no match for his longer legs and he quickly caught up. But this was only a short sprint, if they'd been doing some long distance he knew she would last longer than him. She was just too energetic. When they'd been younger and their body height and structures more similar then they'd been an equal match. As it was, he waited until they were near the finish before adding a burst of speed and just made it before her. He couldn't kill too much of her ego.

He leaned against the post and grinned. "Mad cucco."

Adra scowled at him. "Oh, shut up."

Laughing, he pushed off and together they entered the village.

Leaf was the first to notice them as he was carting a load of chopped wood to the shed. He was bundled in thick layers with a scarf and mittens, his head and ears covered by a knitted hat to guard against the chill. Living by the lakeside meant that they were sooner to fall to the cold, the first of the biting temperature of winter. It rushed down the mountains and was carried over the water. As Castle Town was more within the interior, it would be one of the last to feel the harsh influences of winter.

Vrel shivered and pulled his coat tighter. He'd almost forgotten how cold it could get. Castle Town was always bustling with activity it practically produced its own heat energy.

Leaf abruptly stopped his cart and stared at them. "Vrel? Adra?"

Giddy, Adra bounded up to him. "You're sound surprised. Have we changed all that much?" she said with a wide smile.

Leaf blinked then shook his head, the corners of his mouth gently lifting upward. "Oh no, it's only… What are you doing here? I didn't expect you back so soon. And where's Link?"

"That's going to be a story you won't believe," said Adra secretively, laughing as an odd look crossed Leaf's visage. "Oh, you should see it. Castle Town is as amazing as they say."

Leaf pushed his cart along. "Tell me about it."

And so Adra went on into a long narration of nearly everything they'd done since leaving Heron Falls. Vrel followed them a few steps behind, listening and adding points as she talked, but she had it in hand for the most part.

Their presence attracted more attention as they assisted Leaf in unloading his cart, and quite a number of the children came to listen in, including many of his younger siblings. They eventually ended up at the pub and the owner didn't seem to mind that there were children present or that it had filled up a bit early as they crowded around to hear Adra speak.

There wasn't much to tell, nor was it even that thrilling. Although the part where they'd encountered a pack of bokoblins elicited a number of gasps, and the search for Link had them all frowning with worry. The festival was the children's favorite part, and they listened raptly as Adra described discovering Link and meeting the prince. At this some of the adults conveyed looks of disbelief, but that was cleared as Vrel backed up her story.

"In all my years…" Roark shook his head. "I would have never thought it was possible. For Link to be made the prince's own personal bodyguard…"

A woman scoffed. "Surely he can't be that good with a blade. I've trained him all his life. I've fought him before. Just a few weeks ago we all watched him sparring against the other youths and he was nothing grand then."

Vrel, who had been reclining back in his chair, arms crossed and staring at the floor, shot his head up. Exactly! That's exactly what he'd been thinking. No one can improve that much in so short amount of time. It was insane.

"For all we know," said Roark, scratching the scruff on his chin. "He could have been hiding it. If he had that sort of talent in him all along he may not have wanted to discourage the other young by showing off. Link's always been a humble boy."

That thought only served to make Vrel angrier. Link humble? He hadn't been humble showing off his position to him and Adra that day at the festival. And if he had that sort of skill to begin with why did he hide it from him, Leaf and Adra, his closest friends. He could have given them tips and helped them to improve alongside him. He'd been selfish keeping it to himself.

"Are we really going to poison Link's image with skepticism?" asked Lily, looking at them all. "Link is a strong and dependable young lad. We've known him since his childhood, why should it matter that he might be keeping some secrets from us? Adra has just informed us that Link has discovered his blood ties. It seems obvious that wherever this talent procured it is tied in with his heritage and maybe that's why he kept it secret."

"Lil's right," input another man. "I doubt any of you would want someone to pry into your personal affairs either. I say toast to Link for his success in life and the honor he brings to this village." He raised a glass of heated milk, as the pub owner refused to distribute the alcohol until late evening and until all the children had left.

"Aye, I second that!"

"Here as well!"

A chorus rose up and they all threw their drinks back, some smacking their lips.

Not able to stand it any longer, Vrel turned his head away and spotted Marle. His face warmed and his heartbeat quickened. Now there was someone who could flush his mind of unwanted thoughts of Link.

She crossed the room, weaving around the spherical wooden tables and groups of people with their chairs pulled up close to Adra, who conversed with those wanting more detail. She headed out the door and Vrel found himself on his feet.

Those feet led him after her into the grey afternoon with its heavy clouded overcast. He felt a few droplets on his nose but brushed them off. The skies were near ready to burst with the Goddesses shed tears as they cleansed the earth. Maybe he could catch her in the downpour. It could make for a romantic setting.

He tailed her at a distance. Imagine how delighted she'd be when he caught her by surprise. Adra had told him that spontaneity is a feature in a man that girls found alluring. He wasn't sure about all that romance nonsense that she claimed she was an expert on, but for once he'd take her advice.

Marle went down the embarkment by the lake, grasping at the roots and the stems of bushes to steady herself when it got too steep. She hopped lithely onto the rocky border lining the lake and continued along its path.

Vrel dropped down not long after and froze at the crunch of the rocks rubbing each other beneath his feet. When he was certain that she hadn't heard him, he slowly went onward, making sure to place each step down as gently as he could. It wasn't easy for a big guy like him, but he managed.

He wrinkled his brow as he heard voices from where Marle had gone. Was she praying to the Goddesses? Sometimes the elder would come down to the lake and pray so that his wishes would be carried off over the waters to the great Nayru.

If so he didn't want to disturb her. He'd wait until she was done. He leaned into the trunk of a tree and settled at the base, crossing his legs and tiredly closing his eyes.

They snapped open as another voice reached his ears, this one too deep to be a woman's.

What was going on? He had to know.

He got to his feet and studied the tree for a moment then jumped and caught the lowest branch, pulling himself up. He climbed midway up the tree before determining that any further and he'd risk the wood breaking out from under him.

He craned his head to see downward overseeing the sprawl of water and the shore on the opposite side of the lake. He caught sight of Marle not twenty feet where he'd been sitting, standing on the beach and accompanied by – of all people – Leaf!

His mind formed assumptions then quickly tamped them down.

Leaf and Marle were the only other two in their age group in the village. It was reasonable that they'd become lonely without their best friends and sought companionship in each other, so it wouldn't be strange for them to meet…alone…by the waters…while he and Adra were visiting.

Marle said something and Leaf stepped closer, holding his hand out. Marle took the offered hand and was tugged into his grasp, arms encircling each other warmly.

Vrel took deep breaths.

Hylians thrived on physical contact. It was as necessary as breath, without it they became lonely and depressed. Friends embraced one another all the time. He sure had given Adra a lot of hugs without feeling anything more than platonic fondness towards her. He'd even kissed her on the face a few times. The cheeks, her head, her forehead, her nose, but never her lips or anywhere near it.

He watched the scene trying to renew his composure.

It must be getting sentimental, for Leaf was now caressing her face, and Vrel couldn't even hear the vibrating mumbles of his voice as he whispered too lowly.

Marle leaned into his touch then angled her head up, leaning forward.

It was then that the truth crashed into him like a raging helmasaur. The signs he'd been trying to deny he saw with renewed clarity, and the emotions he'd been suppressing to his best efforts were released in a huge thunderous jolt.

They were kissing!

Heads angled, lips swallowing each other in a hot searing battle.

Vrel was infuriated. This was the woman he had a crush on in his childhood years, who he had been too shy to actively pursue once he hit puberty, and who – with the guidance of Adra – he was now confident enough to start tentatively courting. And wasn't it Leaf who he had confided in when he was most doubtful? Leaf who had provided him the encouragement and incentive to go for her?

How could he…how could he _betray_ him like that!

It was that proverbial saying. When the cat's away…

And oh, these mice did like to play. Their interaction was getting more intense as their passion rose. Leaf had unlatched his lip from Marle's and was laying kisses along her neck and shoulders, slipping the strap of her dress down and out of the way.

Vrel watched with mute fascination. He felt more contempt now for them both. Contempt and disgust.

He wondered…would they seriously go that far?

It must have been half an hour now that they'd been devouring each other, pressing their bodies close, hands wandering and touching but always drawing away before they visited places too indecent.

In the end Leaf broke off and pulled away, leaving a generous amount of space between them. They spoke silently, and Vrel could hear the happiness in their voices. They didn't regret it at all. Leaf wasn't even thinking of the friend he was betraying as he stole his fantasies.

They straightened their clothing, patting their disarrayed hair back in order then together walked away, hands clasped in the other's and leaving virtually no gap between them.

Vrel waited until they were well gone before he climbed down a few branches and dropped the rest of the way. He meticulously pat himself down, dislodging a stray leaf from behind his ear, and stared off after them, his hands placed on his hips.

His hands then furled into fists and shook at his sides.

He had to calm himself down otherwise he was going to snap. Mother always said that people were stupid when they let their emotions run them. That is when they were most prone to carry out foolhardy impulses. In the past whenever he'd been angry – and with five younger siblings there'd been plenty of opportunities to be - he'd drink a cup of chamomile tea.

Just think of chamomile. Warm. Calm and soothing. A '_hug in a cup'_ as his mother often called it.

Derailing his thoughts worked as he distanced himself momentarily from the situation. His boiling fury simmered into cold anger, still burning, but manageable.

His trembling stilled and he closed his eyes, pressing his thumb and forefinger on the bridge of his nose and pinching it, the way he'd seen his mother do on particularly rowdy days.

Now that he was somewhat in control of himself he considered what to do. He couldn't just ignore this and go back to life the way it was, in fake ignorance, but he couldn't outright accuse them either. And accuse them of what? Leaf and Marle weren't doing anything illegal, she'd never been his. But to do nothing…?

He gazed skyward and chuckled lowly to himself.

All this turmoil for a woman… A woman who had never noticed him anyways. But then, he'd never given her the right signs. He'd waited too long, and now he'd lost his chance.

He'd been too focused on Adra's part of the deal, getting her together with Link. He'd even tagged along on their little journey together, and what had that accomplished? Just more ire for him.

Goddesses, he was stupid.

"I should have never gone to Castle Town…"

"Oh? But then you would have never gotten to meet me. Surely you don't mean that?"

He swerved around, eyes bulging as they met vivid chocolate swirls shining with laughter. Vivienne stepped lightly along the shore, boots leaving their imprint in the sand, and cloak flapping in the breeze. It was as if she'd appeared from straight out of the mist.

All thoughts in his head froze and then ran rampant.

Where had she come from? What was she doing here? In _his_ home village?

She smiled as she closed the distance between them and cupped his cheek, her eyes dancing. "Because I certainly know that I would have regretted never getting to meet you... hon."

Vrel couldn't help but smile at the endearment and tepidly placed a hand over hers.

Oh, to have a woman like her. Just her smile wiped away all bitter thoughts of Marle. Her voice served to console his raging insides. She was like a soothsayer, able to calm the most feral of beasts.

"Vivienne? How are you here?" he asked reminded of his befuddlement.

Vivienne cooed with joy. "Oh have I told you how my name sounds like gold on your tongue?"

He flushed red and averted his eyes. "Only once." But in different words with the same overall meaning.

"You remember. Well, I'm glad that the message sank in," she said brightly, bringing her hand down.

Vrel was reluctant to let her move away but he couldn't stop her. "What are you doing here? How did you know where I was?"

"Darling, do you really believe that my being here must have something to do with you? Is it so farfetched that our meeting in Heron Falls is a coincidence? That I cannot be here on an unrelated visit?"

His face further flushed from the root of his neck to the tip of his ears. Of course. He was being presumptuous. Naturally there could be other reasons why she was here. Her world did not revolve around him.

At her ringing laugh he shifted his feet nervously.

"Oh hon. I jest. Of course I'm here because of you." The laughter that gleamed in her eyes then faded as she became subdued. The humor had left her and in its place seriousness took precedence. She held his gaze then breathed in deeply, letting it out in a slow sigh. Tilting her head to the side, she looked out at the gleaming lake.

His stomach fluttered at her admittance, but at her sudden displacement of mood it clenched with worry.

"This is rather embarrassing to admit… and it may be a tad forward of me…" she said serenely. "But I've grown attached to you, Vrel. I like you. So I have put a small magical trace on you, just something that can tell me where you are and that can sense your emotions, so I'd know if you needed me…"

Vrel swallowed thickly, looking at her with newfound adoration. "You…you really did that for me?"

She nodded. "That is the reason that I'm here right now. I sensed that you were in conflict. When I felt your anger and sadness I became worried. I had to see you, to make sure that you were alright. I know that this might ruin whatever trust you have in me. I've damaged your pride and taken away a small bit of your privacy, but I… I had to do it…"

She blinked madly. She still wouldn't look at him. It was as if she were ashamed about what she had done. Vrel discovered that he had more respect for her shame than anyone else's honesty.

He'd never been good with women unrelated to him - that was the reason why he'd gone to Adra in the first place - but just this once he let himself forget to think and went by action alone.

Reaching out, he held her by her arms, rubbing his thumbs up and down her cloaked skin, wishing instead that he was touching her bare. How silky that would feel…

"I…I am honored," he said firmly, and was rewarded when she finally looked up at him, eyes glistening and no longer holding any trace of her sadness.

"I am glad," she said as if with great relief. She placed her hands on his forearms and slid them down to gently pry his hands off her and gingerly grasp them in her own. "Now, tell me what has happened."

Taking a gulp, he started. She listened as he unloaded on her his consternation against Link, his frustrations with Adra, and now his betrayal from Leaf and hurt with Marle. When he was done she pulled him into a tight embrace, her hands running up his back to rest on his shoulder blades.

"Oh, you poor boy," she said quietly. "How poorly life has treated you."

He didn't consider it poor. Other people led lives that were basically one tragedy after another, lives of death, poverty and strife. They held more losses than he did and little hope. To call his life poor was like a sham to their lives. Unfortunate, was the appropriate word, a miserable play of circumstances and overall bad luck.

No matter how one termed it, it caused a great sadness to spread in him and he enfolded her in his arms, absorbing as much as he could of her comfort.

How he needed this, how he needed her. If only he could have her, if only.

He buried his face in her hair, inhaling the scent of her long blood-red curls, so soft and fragrant. She was dear to him, he realized that now. This woman who he barely knew offered him more than any other woman who he'd known his entire life.

"Ah, men," she said, her whispered breath brushing against the crook of his neck. "So easy to anger, just as women are easy to sadden."

She brushed through the short locks of his hair and he relished in the feeling of her fingers cinching against his scalp.

He could stand here forever in her embrace.

"Vrel," she started, her voice low and sultry. "I have a _favor_ to ask of you."

Anything, he had promised. But he hadn't expected her put a request forth so quickly.

She pulled back and smiled at him with her sultry lips. "Come with me. This life of yours holds little for you. I can grant you more. I can grant you power."

His breath caught in his throat. Her offer repeated itself over and over in his head, ringing with promise and desires.

He was about to answer affirmatively but was halted by her raised hand. He looked her over puzzled, there was no smile on her face now. She was all serious as she addressed him next.

"Do not act too hasty. There are many restrictions and rules that you must adhere to should you accept. You will have to obey any command that I give you without question. I could very well ask for you to kill someone and you would be obliged to do it. I have multiple cohorts so you must show them respect and stay out of their way. Until you can prove yourself, you will be the lesser man with little or no say. More often than not you'll be left in the dark for most things, you will have very little access to our meetings and plans. Are you willing to dismiss your current life to do this? Are you willing to step into the unknown?"

Vrel was taken aback. It had never occurred to him that Vivienne led a deeper sort of life than what he'd perceived. She'd always been the flitting beauty, a charming woman who came and went and could raise his heart rate with a single bat of her eyes.

This sounded as if she were involved with something more dangerous. It had its appeal, he admitted.

"What is it that you do?" he asked. Could he just rush in blindly with the limited knowledge he had? Or could he place his full trust in her, that she would keep him safe and guide him with whatever it was he was about to agree to.

Vivienne smiled darkly. "Oh, Vrel my darling, I did say that you would be entering the unknown, hon." She tapped his nose with her finger. "But because I trust you I'll tell you this. I work against Hyrule. I work with the goal of bringing down the royal family and to instate a new method of governing. One that you may very well be part of."

Treason. He'd been ingrained from childhood with the sense to respect the royals of Hyrule, any word against them was blasphemous and any act against them was liable to send one to prison. The Harkinian's were the Goddesses' chosen, they were in their favor and ruled Hyrule in their names. Even the thought of what Vivienne was implying caused him to wince. It was almost an inherent reaction.

Could he go against them? Could he go against Hyrule? The very Goddesses themselves, all to follow this one woman?

But then her silky words had spoken of power. Perhaps the Goddesses weren't as almighty as people thought. Who really felt the wrath of their divine intervention? From what he's heard they do nothing. Whenever a new evil arose it was the people who brought it down. Was it possible to attain power to rival that of the Goddesses, or at least the Hylian royals?

"Vrel, you don't have to do this," she said.

Oh, but he did. With power on his side he'd stand above Link. He'd stand above them all.

"How will I obtain this power?" he asked full of conviction.

Vivienne blinked and then smirked with great satisfaction. "You come with me, and I'll show you. However, don't expect to receive it immediately. You must be patient. It will take time for you to grow enough to be able to handle it."

"I can do it," he said at once.

It would be hard having to wait, but he'd do it. He'd wait years if he had to as long as he reached the end result.

"Vrel? What are you doing?"

He spun around and there was Adra with a look of puzzlement on her face, staring at him and Vivienne. She instantly recognized Vivienne and regarded her with contempt, her nose wrinkling in distaste.

"What's _she_ doing here?" bit Adra, bounding over to stand beside Vrel, sending the older woman suspicious glances.

Vivienne ignored Adra for the time being, attention focused solely on Vrel. "So…what is your choice?"

She was giving him a last chance. Away from it all it was easier to be influenced by her presence and choose to go with her, but now that Adra was here, that there was a physical piece of the village to reawaken emotions of longing for his village it was made more difficult.

Adra looked at him, frowning. "Vrel, what is this about?" Her eyes widened a fraction and she stepped back, looking towards Vivienne. "You can't be serious? Please tell me you're not considering doing what I think you are."

Hah! She didn't want him to leave – in a permanent sense that is. Adra had no idea what he was about to do. She could not know that he was going to pledge his loyalty to Vivienne, to serve her for as long as he lived, until hopefully…he gained an equal partnership.

Her flushed at the thought of matrimony to her, but it was a wonderful goal and anything was possible.

Was he being spurious? Maybe. He still felt the coils of anger at the slightest thought of Leaf and Link. It had to be affecting his reasoning somehow, but he didn't care.

He turned away from her, his head bowed and staring at the ground. "Go home, Adra."

He heard her sharp intake of breath. "What?"

"Adra, leave!" he urged her to listen. She may be a pest, but he did care for her. He didn't want to see her hurt face as he rejected her and the village.

Her next words were ones filled with scorn and he almost felt ashamed. "You're going to go with her then? For what? To become her boy toy?"

He snapped his head around glaring at her. "That's not true!"

"That's the only reason a noblewoman like her would take interest in us peasants. You don't actually think she likes you, do you?" shot Adra with malice.

"You don't know anything!" growled Vrel.

"For Din's sake, Vrel, you hardly know her!"

Vrel took long menacing strides toward Adra, who backed up quickly, eyes suddenly widened. He loomed over her in a display of intimidating force. "You know what your problem is? You can't just mind your own business. You get in everyone's face, first with Link, now with me. If someone doesn't want to be around you then just leave them _alone_. What I do doesn't concern you."

Abruptly he pivoted and stomped over towards Vivienne who'd kept a firm watch on him.

He had anticipated her running off crying, hell, he had wanted her to. But Adra's resolve seemed only to have strengthened.

"What about your family? Your sisters and brothers, what about them? Are you going to willingly leave them, for her?"

"You know," said Vivienne, idly inspecting her nails and buffing them on her cloak. "I tire of being referred to as if I were not present." She suddenly smiled sinisterly and held her hand aloft in front of her. "You are quite the nuisance. The world would do well without you."

An orb of fizzing magic formed in the palm of her hand with snapping jolts of pure energy. She pulled back and in a flash hurled it towards Adra.

Vrel barely had time to process it before it slammed into Adra's body, sending her flying back, blood and spittle sprayed everywhere. Her body landed with a thud higher up the embarkment between two trees, half shadowed by the shrubbery. It stilled and did not move.

He gulped audibly, sweat trails marking paths down his brow and under the collar of his shirt. His hands were trembling and for the life of him he couldn't force them to still. His breaths came in quick gasps until he could barely breathe.

He was fast losing air, his vision dotting and throwing the world into a bleary fuzz.

He heard her voice calling to him, her hand sweeping up and down his back in gentle strokes. "That's it. Take deep breaths, hon. You're just in shock. You need to stop hyperventilating in order to calm yourself."

Squeezing his eyes shut he allowed her words to guide him as he regained control over his breathing and his sight returned. He'd gone into a crouch, his hands grasping at his hair and jaw clenched painfully. Slowly he straightened up, breathing deeply. He opened his eyes. He felt much better now.

"There. You're doing well. Death is something that has been with us for ages," she said calmly. "You can either reject it and fear it for the rest of your life, or you can accept it and learn to live with its frigid bite and keep moving forward."

Vrel remained silent, eyes grazing over Adra's limp body. "Adra – is she – I mean…"

Vivienne considered the body briefly then looked back at Vrel. "Yes, she is dead. Very few could survive my magic attacks."

He didn't ask why she'd done it. Didn't yell at her or scream at her cruelty and callousness, that she had just snuffed a life out as if it were nothing. Adra was right, he barely knew her, but then Vivienne had admitted that he would be ignorant should he choose to go with her. And the power she'd displayed… when she'd mentioned it before he had thought she referred to the power that comes with notability and a title. He hadn't known she was a sorceress and that the power she promised was that of magic.

His heart still fluttering, he turned away from the sight of Adra. "Sh-Shall we depart?"

"Yes." She held out her hand and without thinking Vrel took it. Red ribbons encircled them in a spiral and the world distorted. It reformed and became solid and Vrel's eyes widened at what he was seeing.

Tents were pitched up in crude rows, their canvases made of animal skins and their stakes were carved solid timber. They were bordered on two sides by cragged towering walls where he could see a narrow winding sliver of light at the top. He deduced that they were deep down in some sort of crevice or canyon and wondered where exactly were they and how would they get back up?

What astounded him foremost were the great hulking beasts that roamed that camp. He froze in terror as he recognized them as monsters he'd only seen drawn in fantasy books or described in stories. Not even the gang of monsters he, Link and Adra had encountered on their way to Castle Town were quite like these.

A brutish pig looking one ambled too close and he hurriedly jumped away. It noticed him and turned its ugly mug toward him, lips pulled back in a snarl, before its face suddenly morphed into one of terror and it scurried away.

"Come, there is someone I want you to meet," said Vivienne, leading him forward.

Vrel followed closely and was amazed at how the beasts all scampered out of the way as if afraid of them. No, not them, they were afraid of Vivienne. She walked among them with immaculate confidence, her poise radiating control and power.

He saw the gazes of the beasts lingering on him, saw their mouths salivating, but none dared move closer. The only thing that kept them from tearing into him and devouring his flesh was her.

What would it be like to be so feared that he could walk through a gathering of beasts and remain unscathed? Could she control them too? Order them to do her bidding and they'd have to obey or else be slaughtered?

They navigated down rows of tents to what he presumed was the very center of the site where the largest tent was mounted. It was massive compared to the others, in an octagonal shape and with bull horns proudly displayed over the entrance flap. The entrance itself was the pelt of a massive white wolfos, fore and hind paws stretched to reach all four corners, its head rested at the top, ears flattened and eyes plucked.

Vivienne untied one corner and pulled the skin aside motioning for him to enter.

The moment the skin parted he felt a blast of hot air scorch his face like the putrid breath of a behemoth. His eyes watered and his teeth grit together. And when it subsided what was left was a staunch coldness that slithered like mist along the ground, seeping into his skin.

He eyed the opening and threw back his shoulders resolutely. In three firm strides he was inside the tent. Vivienne followed in after him, dropping the flap shut as he faced what awaited him within.

* * *

><p>"Lady Frayne, your escort is ready."<p>

Frayne silently nodded and exited her rooms following after her guards. A pair of Zora soldiers had been assigned to her protection. It wasn't always safe traversing the rivers that led from Zoras Domain to the various reaches of Hyrule, however a good Zora swimmer was able to avoid any underwater monstrosities with ease. Any Zora, even Queen Zora, could leave the Domain on their own and be trusted to remain safe. But in her case it was an entirely different matter. She was the only Zora who had ever needed a guard to accompany her wherever she went, none would allow her to go off alone.

Her flippers touched the lapping water. Her sky blue skin instantly absorbed the liquid and became moist. It felt divine.

"Whenever you are ready, Lady Frayne," said the guard standing on her right.

Without a second thought, she dove into the pool, peddling her feet to carry her deeper under the tide. Her two escorts dove in after her, shearing through the water like a pair of torpedoes. She ignored them and swam in the direction of the river.

Many other Zoras floated around her, swimming carefree in a joyful manner. She admired their ease as they somersaulted and jumped above the surface only to dive back down like a dolphin.

There was a time when she'd been envious of them. She would have done almost anything to do what they could do, to perform their little tricks and stunts, things that even the youngsters in the tribe could do without difficulty.

But she had grown to accept the fact that she was different than them. She was an enigma in their realm. She used to curse her physical abnormalities, but she came to recognize that there was nothing she could do about them so she had to live with them as best she could. Her flippers were merely loose flaps of skin on her arms, hips and feet, cumbersome and not at all useful for gliding in the water, not like the others' sleek and firm flippers that acted as muscles to help propel them forward. Her tailhead was long and thin more like that of an eel than an actual fish, and again lacking the necessary muscles used to help her swim. It lagged in the water behind her adding drag and discomfort. She was not as fast as the other Zoras, nor was she as strong a swimmer. But that was what came out of a cross between a Hylian and a Zora and that was why such a combination was so rare. The negative effects just weren't worth it, but of course her mother hadn't thought of that when she fell in love with her Hylian father.

And so she was the unfortunate outcome. Teased incessantly as a child, her life had been filled with unsightly rumors and wary regard, as if she were some oddity to stare at.

All that had changed drastically the moment she had turned fourteen, for that was when she had her first vision, that was when she'd become their priestess.

Now in her mid forties she had the respect of the tribe and the ear of the Queen. Her deformities were a mild bother, nothing more. She was part of two worlds. She was still a Zora, a lover of vast underwater depths, and she was Hylian, able to roam the lands longer than any other of her tribe without the need to immerse herself fully in water. She had gone to live with her father's family only once before he died. She remembered the children of his village being more curious to her outlandish features than disdainful. To them she was a Zora and for those who had never seen a Zora before they had nothing to compare her differences to.

The river twisted and winded and she let herself be pulled with the current. The trip downriver she knew would be far easier than traveling back up it. She enjoyed the challenge and was assured that if she did have any problems or if she grew tired her guards would be there to assist her.

They dove down the last waterfall of their journey, the one that entered Lake Hylia and she surfaced. She paddled to shore and got out of the water, stepping onto cool grass.

She waved at her Zoran guards and they submersed themselves to swim alongside her, but always stayed close to the surface so that she could see their forms skimming just below.

As much as she liked to swim, she also liked to walk nearly just as much. She also felt it crucial that part of her pilgrimage be made on foot to reflect the Hylian blood in her.

When she'd traveled as close to the water temple as she could she reentered the lake and joined her guards to swim the rest of the way.

Once before there had been sages, once long ago the water temple had been built as a place of prayer so those sages could reach out to the Goddesses and through them guide the chosen hero. Currently its use hadn't changed, although they no longer had a water sage. Instead she'd been chosen as temple caretaker, however much of the work was distributed among the other Zoras as she could only do so much with her limitations. She tried to visit as often as she could and she feared that soon the journey would become too tiresome for her body and then she'd have no choice but to make it her permanent residence. But not yet. She didn't want to reside there before she had to, because even though she was the priestess and she loved carrying out her duties, Zoras Domain was a special place to her, and she wasn't quite ready to abandon it yet. Not for the next forty years if she could help it, but chances are age sixty would be her limit. Even now she could feel her body being strained, it wasn't as efficient as the other Zoras who would be skimming rivers well into their seventies.

Another reason for envy, but she didn't let that bother her. At least, not too much. She was content with her life and wouldn't change it for the world.

The grotto was more crowded than usual. Zora soldiers zipped past her, others floated, conversing with each other. The entire place was a scene of constant activity.

"Atris, find out what's going on," she said to her left guard.

The guard swam off and swirled above a gathering of Zoras before floating down to their level. Frayne hovered with her right guard, eager to press on, but curiosity compelled her to stay.

Atris swam back over and spoke to her softly. "Nothing too important it seems. Just a crew come to investigate the flood cavern. It lies a few leagues southeast of here. They're deciding whether to cover it up or see how far it goes."

"The flood cavern? Is that the new cave that appeared not too long ago? How long is it?" she asked as they tread toward the temple entrance.

"It goes pretty far, I heard. Has lots of air pockets and tunnels," said Atris. "Apparently some of the Zoras are too frightened to explore any further. They don't like the feel of it."

It was something she might have to look into herself then. But after, not now. The Goddesses worship came first.

The Zoras that did notice her raised their hands in acknowledgment, the ones who didn't continued to look unsettled as they discussed the new cave.

Frayne entered the temple and continued through the many passages and secret sections until she reached the prayer room. The prayer room was circular in diameter and had a small ankle-deep pool in the center. It was the largest room in the temple and the site of many battles between the ancient hero and vicious boss monsters.

"Do not disturb me unless you must," she ordered the guards who nodded in obedience.

The door closed and she stepped in the water to kneel. In a devoted gesture, she placed her hands together and bowed her head in silent prayer.

She blinked her eyes shut and that was all it took. When they reopened she was no longer in the prayer room. Instead she was surrounded by a dark void, ominous and eerie. Rather than feeling scared, she took the abrupt change in stride, and viewed it with a sense of curiousness.

She was alone as far as she could tell. She wandered for a bit before she noticed something in the distance. It was Castle Town, or so she thought, but its image was fogged and she couldn't quite see it clearly. All of a sudden there was a golden light exiting from the gate. It slowly grew larger until she could depict the outline of a slender cloaked form, feminine in shape and in the manner with which she walked.

She strode past Frayne without a glance and Frayne watched silently as the figure entered the darkness, slowly drifting farther and farther away. Her breath caught as the path in front of the figure became distorted and screams filled the air.

Frayne covered her ears and her eyes met the ones of the figure and a flood of water swooped over her.

Frayne awoke back to the world of consciousness and fell forward, bracing herself on her arms, she panted, shaking.

It felt as if something physically struck her as her mind sharpened with sudden clarity.

She got up quickly and sent one last thanks to the Goddesses before dashing out the room.

She spotted her two guards and demanded them to follow her. "Make haste! I must see the Queen!"

"Lady Frayne!" shot Atris. "What's the matter? Has something gone amiss?"

"Oh the world shall be amiss if you do not hurry it up!" she said snappishly, leading them through the temple to the outside. Once surrounded by the cool waters of Lake Hylia she turned again to her guards. "Carry me."

Atris and his partner exchanged bemused glances. She couldn't blame them. In all her years her pride had spurred her to make the journey upriver by herself without the assistance of her guards. That she was asking them to carry her was ludicrous.

"W-What?"

"But it is so simple an order. Carry me back to Zoras Domain," she pressed. "I must speak with the Queen at once and this is the fastest way to do so."

Hesitantly, Atris gave his back to her and she clutched firmly at his headtail.

Whereas traveling upriver normally took hours to accomplish on her own, with Atris pulling her they made it to the Domain in half the time, and Frayne even went so far as to have him carry her up the waterfall to the throne room.

She barged in and immediately demanded that everyone leave. "Out! All of you, out now!"

To say they were all shocked was an understatement, the normally quiet priestess rarely raised her voice above the required level for speech, but here she was shouting as if competing with a redead for volume.

Queen Helerra took one look at the priestess and waved her court off. "Do as she says. And not one word of complaint from any of you, else I stick you in the ice caverns."

This hastily resulted in the abandonment of the throne room, leaving only the Queen, her advisor Joran, and Frayne.

"Your majesty." Frayne bowed and met the Queen's eyes. "I have had a vision."

At this the Queen raised an eyebrow and nodded her head. "Inform me."

Frayne reported the vision as she had seen it. It was not too detailed, but it was filled with symbolism.

"And you have interpreted it already I'm guessing?" said Queen Helerra. "That is the reason for your urgency?"

Frayne nodded. "Yes, my Queen. I have a request to make."

"Ask away," the Queen made a circular motion with her hand.

Frayne noted that she hadn't asked for her to elaborate on the vision's meaning. "I wish to go to Castle Town. I wish to speak with the prince."

The Queen stayed silent, however her advisor was not hesitant to pipe up.

"I don't think it wise that you go," said Joran. "Hyrule is becoming unstable, you are an emblem to our people, with your loss they would devolve into panic. That isn't to mention the risks associated with traversing the fields at this time."

"There is a waterway that leads directly to Castle Town's moat. With a standard guard there'll be little danger to overcome," she defended.

All in all, it was the Queen who decided if she were allowed to go or not. Joran had no say in it, so when the Queen nodded in agreement he could only bow his head in acceptance and leave it at that.

"Very well," said Queen Helerra. "Take your guards with you. You will meet Byron at the castle, he will see to it that you have an audience with the prince."

She tried not to show her relief as she bowed deeply. "Thank you, your majesty."

Queen Helerra stood from her throne, one hand crossing behind her back, the other used to stroke her chin. "Well, this leaves a lot to think about."

Frayne couldn't tell if the Queen had formed her own assumptions of what the vision meant or if she were still pondering over the contents. She backed out of the room silently and went to locate her guards.

It seemed she was in for another long swim.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: My first chapter with no Link or Zelda in it. This is more of a buildup chapter to some important scenes that come later. **

**I must admit, I'm starting to dislike Vivienne the more I write about her. I never did like the manipulative sort. And I'm starting to dislike Vrel as well. I know he's just being strung along, but really, he's letting his jealousy get way ahead of him. He's playing a larger part in this story than I anticipated. Oh well, more conflict. **

**Heheheh...about Adra...yeah...heheh...**

**Aaaanyways, read, review and enjoy.**


	14. Chapter 14

**A thanks to all my darling reviewers ^^: hopscot, zeFluffleTruffle, FallenAngel2298, Me, ObscurityProject, PrincessPeach, Andrastos, Generala, Death Waltz, Yukiame, tetraforce theory, Bloodspire, ShadowQueenMidna, and Cameron.**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 14<strong>

"Very good," said Commander Deb.

Link sighed and moved off of her, leaning back to sit on his heels. "Not good enough."

"But better," said Deb as she got up and pat down her leather jerkin. She rotated her wrists a few times, laced her fingers and stretched out her arms then she rolled her left shoulder, her right hand massaging the abused muscle. "You pack quite a punch. I just might bruise."

That got a short laugh out of him. He accepted her help up and fixed up his own clothing.

After a long trying day of following Zellandus around, attending a council meeting and court, as well as that tedious affair in the state apartments regarding the recent rescue of the duke, he was grateful for the chance to do something that really got the blood flowing. Wrestling had been it. It was at Commander Deb's suggestion.

They drank some water from their canteens, and Link accepted a towel from an attendant to wipe away the sweat on his face.

As always, Zellandus was there. He talked to Commander Deb, offering her clearly unwanted advice as Deb cinched her eyebrows and drank her water. He'd been going back and forth between them for the past near hour always giving his input to the loser. That had been him the last round. Out of the seven rounds he'd won four of them, impressive by everyone's standards but not quite there for his. He should be able to win every round, he should not be slowing down as time wore on while his opponent kept fresh. The only reason he'd claimed victory this last round was because of a lucky swipe. She'd fallen, he'd pounced and relied on his body weight to keep her down. She could have easily pushed him off, had he not had his hands at her throat, which guaranteed his win.

Deb tried to act as if she were paying attention and was not annoyed with Zellandus' ramblings, he was her monarch after all and should be taken seriously no matter the topic or that he was not serious by nature. She must have been applying formidable effort to not lash out at him for bothering her with his incessant talk. Link admitted when it came to the sword, Zellandus was adept, but when it came to any other fighting form he might as well have been clueless.

Across the training field some of the soldiers were also in practice. He was drawn by two men in particular whose fighting seemed a cut above the others. Link's mind automatically began assessing each of them, noting missed possibilities, small missteps and mistakes in their stance that although minor would cost them more energy. It was all in the legs, once the legs gave out one loses their support and then everything comes tumbling down.

He himself spent an hour each night sitting against the wall to build up that support system. Keeping the knees bent in a fight gave a person more balance and easier movement, not to mention it added force to their attacks. He could tell that the one soldier was suffering from the 'wobbly knee' syndrome. He'd collapse soon and the fight would be over.

"Again, Link?"

He faced Commander Deb whose eyes seem to be threatening 'answer quickly'. She wanted an excuse so it wouldn't appear as if she was snubbing the prince. At this point she might just do that whether or not Link agreed to another match or not.

He smiled. May as well indulge her. He knew how unbearable Zellandus could be after a while. "Once more then."

They both moved onto the arena and prepared to start. Deb made her move and Link swiped her grabbing hand away.

One problem with wrestling with women was that they were anatomically different, one had to watch where they grabbed and in practice pulling hair was not allowed, even though it proved a tempting target, and it did often get in the way. Over his lives Link had learned that in life and death it didn't matter, he had faced too many perilous women to hesitate, the gerudos were the extreme. In mock battles though he'd learned that generally they didn't care, as long as it was not an intentional low blow. Mostly he was used to targeting areas he called 'safe spots', the ribs, the inside of the joints, the neck if things got really intense, and sternum.

They wore the aegis suits as usual, apparently they acted as good insulators as well and the soldiers were required to wear them as part of their uniform. It allowed for Deb to have increased flexibility, which he'd quickly learned was not good for him. She was no Sheik, but by Din he was beginning to suspect her part Sheikah.

Concentrating on the fight helped distract him from thinking about Hawk. He didn't mind as much when he'd turned away from the burning fortress to find her missing as he did the last few times she'd escaped from capture, but it was unnerving. He still didn't know who she was or how even she had gotten into the castle and then later on the fortress, or where she went when she escaped. Laval had been useless in figuring it out, all they knew was that she teleported somehow. The ease at which she snuck into places that were supposed to be notably well-guarded disturbed him. How many times had she done that so far? She wasn't easy to detect, that was for sure, even Laval had reluctantly admitted that he had trouble sensing her sometimes.

It wasn't good for the Labrynnians to have a spy capable of doing all that. He'd kept his suspicions to himself however, if he were wrong it would be devastating to suddenly accuse the Labrynnian ambassador of spying on them. He'd told no one of his accusations that day when he'd teamed up with Hawk, not even Laval.

The fight also helped keep him from thinking about Zelda. And that was really where his mind closed down. The first mention of her name, the slightest remembrance of her pale smooth face and he couldn't handle it. It had almost become painful to meet Zellandus' eyes.

No. While fighting he kept all thoughts at bay except one. He imagined Deb as the Augurer, pictured her with Ganondorf's face.

A flare of anger surged through him and he grabbed the Commander's shoulders, slipping one foot behind hers and twisted in a take down. He slammed her on the ground with more force than required, leaving her winded.

He stopped himself then as she held out her hand and clutched at her stomach.

"Quite ferocious that one," she said, gasping as she made effort to fill her lungs. "I think that is all the beating I can handle for the day."

Link immediately felt contrite and reached down to help her to her feet.

Deb smiled at him as they clasped arms, still clutching at her abdomen. "You keep that wolf's spirit with you and no one will dare ever get in your way." She frowned and groaned then. "A red potion, methinks, to mend my ribs. For such a small man you have a powerful hit."

She turned and headed back towards the castle.

Link shivered and felt multiple stares on him. He ignored them, not wanting to see whatever awe, disdain, or wariness they wore on their face. He had long proven his ability to outmatch the other soldiers and now only the Commander and a few others were good enough to face him.

He headed towards his chambers, Zellandus walking a few paces beside him and eyeing him thoughtfully.

* * *

><p>A day of fasting preceded the blessings ceremony and Link had the utmost difficulty keeping Zellandus away from any and all sort of nourishment. Water was the only thing he was allowed to have.<p>

Link found himself swiping any food that Zellandus somehow got his sneaky hands on, looking at the same time like a glutton for at that precise moment Lord Kincaid would suddenly appear and always when Link had a pile of food in his hands. Other than lifting a reproving eyebrow, Lord Kincaid thankfully spared him from any lecture.

Eventually, with the assistance of Amy, he'd forced Zellandus into the solarium with Deb and three other soldiers guarding the door. Link and Amy then treated themselves to cake and tea, brought to them by the servants, while Zellandus brooded in a corner, shooting menacing glances at them every so often.

Link couldn't help but be cruel on occasion.

This made for a very sour Zellandus, and his sourness had increased to an all out vileness on the morn of the ceremony. He wasn't permitted to eat then either, only after the ceremony when there'd be a celebratory banquet.

The prince was moody and grumpy like any child would be when hungry and tired. He snapped at his attendants as they helped dress him in his lavish princely attire, and sent a few of them crying as he shouted spiteful words at their uselessness and overall aptitude for moronic.

They had resorted to send in Brula to calm him down. Zellandus had been reduced to brooding indignantly as the remaining attendants – stern stuff they were made out of – finished up. Lastly they set his coronet on his brow, a gleaming gold with zircon inlaid in the center of a bird feature.

When it was done they headed down to the presence chamber where once more Lord Kincaid arranged them in a procession, this time excluding all nobles. Everyone would be waiting in the temple, Zellandus was only to be surrounded by his guards. Until Zellandus was blessed this was a day of reverence, hundreds of people around the kingdom would be at this moment forgoing their daily rituals and praying to the Goddesses for Zellandus' health and prosperity, for the health and prosperity of the ruler meant the health and prosperity of his kingdom.

He had watched from his balcony that morning as the officers had put their soldiers through a last minute run through of drills and formations and was pleased to see that they appeared organized and sharp as they took their places in line.

A carriage pulled up and the footman hopped off and opened the door for Zellandus to enter. The prince gave one last solemn look at Link before he entered, lifting his cape the last bit of the way in.

Link watched with keen eyes as shadows flitted from one dark corner to the next, following as the carriage pulled away and the soldiers began their march.

Commander Deb was at the forefront of the procession, decked out in full Commander regalia, her silver armor bearing the symbol of the royal house of Hyrule, with a red cape flowing out behind her with the house crest of Shira. She was mounted on a great black destrier and kicked it into a canter as they started down the streets.

Link mounted his own horse, a white courser, and kicked it forward, keeping close to the carriage. He too wore warrior regalia, commissioned by the prince. A gleaming medal shone over his right breast, an award for his services in rescuing the duke. With all the rush and excitement of the blessings ceremony the honor ceremony had been short and overshadowed. Not that he, Amy, Wist, Aiden, or even Captain Roualt seemed to mind. The first four worked in secrecy and Captain Roualt was loyal to duty. It had been a private and quiet affair with very few witnesses.

The crowd outside the temple was enormous. Consisting mostly of commonfolk, he'd be hard pressed to spot anyone with ill intent there.

Two rows of guards stood bordering a path to the temple doors. Zellandus' carriage stopped at the end and the prince got out. Link hopped off his horse and handed the reins to a receiver to take care of. He followed resolutely behind the prince and Brula as they entered the temple after Commander Shira and a retinue of guards.

The people maintained a hushed silence, heads bowed and devout. Only the children spoke in curious whispers and were immediately hushed by their parents.

The doors to the temple swung wide and they were met with a smaller crowd. The seats in the front had been reserved for all the foreign dignitaries and ministers of state. The wealthier and most important nobles sat within the next rows and the lesser nobility and wealthy peasants occupied the back. Lining the walls on either side were a number of priests and priestesses both residents of Castle Town and those who had made the pilgrimage to be here.

At the end were the arch priests and priestesses, ready with anointing oils and purified waters. Three of them stood behind a white marble altar, they were to represent the three Goddesses. The man wore a robe of green while two women wore robes of red and blue respectively. All were gold trimmed and all had the triforce on their tabards.

Zellandus walked down the aisle and up the short flight of stairs to kneel before the altar on one knee while the guards all parted to either side to stand against the pillars. Link stood with Commander Deb and Brula, ever feeling for his shadow and discreetly taking note of everyone in attendance.

The ministers watched silently, although Lord Perrington looked considerably gleeful as if he was restraining from rubbing his hands.

Link narrowed his eyes at the pudgy Lord. He'd confided his suspicions of him to Lady Brula who agreed that it would be wise to keep an eye on him, but there was not much they could do without further proof. But Link couldn't help but feel that he was the one disposing of the letters concerning the Augurer.

The three at the altar held up their hands and began to speak as one in ancient Hylian, a speech that Link had heard seven times over.

They spoke of Hyrule and it's history, the glory of the land, the faithfulness of its servants who devoutly worshipped the Goddesses even as other nations forsook them. Link flickered his eyes at the foreign dignitaries and was glad to see no reaction from them. It seemed that none of them understood ancient Hylian.

They spoke of the duties of the monarch and listed the names of several great rulers who had come before him along with their deeds in life.

Link had to stop himself from wincing every time they mentioned a 'Zelda'. He balled his fists and grit his teeth.

Finally they entreated the Goddesses and brought their hands down.

An oppressing silence filled the temple as everyone watched, riveted.

Link gazed on, expectantly.

Gasps exuded among the crowd as a circle drew itself around Zellandus. It shot forth light, rising upwards in a brilliant gold, encompassing Zellandus' form.

The audience shied away, covering their eyes as the brightness shone to immense proportions.

Just as it was starting to become too unbearable it at once died out. The light drew back into the floor and the circle disappeared, leaving Zellandus as he had been with nothing changed.

Zellandus lifted his head and blinked for a moment, gazing up in confusion.

Meanwhile up on the altar the priests and priestesses were discussing things loudly, and it was evident that they were not happy.

A murmur arose in the crowd, all of them too shocked to completely understand what had occurred, all of them confused and looking towards the holy order for answers.

Link stood rigid, eyes wide and shoulders stiff. How could it…?

"Impossible!" shot Brula, who appeared just as wide-eyed as him.

Commander Deb looked at them both, her demeanor perplexed. "I don't understand. Wasn't that supposed to happen?"

Brula shook her head. "No, it was not. Something has happened, something must have gone wrong!"

Link's own thoughts were a rampaging turmoil. What did it mean?

Zellandus got to his feet and stared forward, as if reluctant to turn around and face everybody.

The arch priests and priestesses all jumbled around him bowing low at the waist.

"Your highness, forgive us! We must have performed the ceremony falsely and have angered the Goddesses!"

The prince slowly looked over them. From behind, Link could see his shoulders shaking and thought what an embarrassment this must be for Zellandus. But then he heard the sounds Zellandus was making, growing louder and louder.

He was laughing!

Zellandus shot his head up and clutched his stomach as he laughed uproariously to the sky. It was genuine amusement that he conveyed.

Had he gone mad?

The holy order seemed to take this depreciatively. "We are…truly sorry, your highness."

Zellandus waved at them. "Oh no no no. Don't you see? You've done it all correctly. Nothing went wrong."

He then turned to the crowd, a massive gleeful smile consuming his face, the likes seen only on mischievous young boys about to reveal their tricks.

"You see… I am not Hyrule's heir."

A beat of silence… Then complete mayhem ensued. Nobles shot to their feet and shouted their voices battling over each other, the ministers approached an arch priestess and demanded an explanation. Lord Perrington looked as if he were holding his breath and about to explode in anger, while Lord Kincaid was standing and clutching fistfuls of hair as if he were about to faint.

This just wasn't playing out the way it was supposed to.

Zellandus observed the mess and laughed again before jumping down the stairs and beaming at Link.

"Well my good sir, shall we depart? I'm afraid there's not much for us here now," he said cheerily.

Link couldn't help but smile back and followed him out. They were all but invisible to the nobles as they rallied against the holy order demanding to know exactly what was going on.

Brula was busy trying to organize the guards and stop the ruckus. It was proving to be a difficult task. Link wished the best of luck to her, because he was out of there.

Outside was considerably better. The people were squabbling but only because they'd heard the commotion from inside not because they knew what had happened. On sighting the prince they cheered and Zellandus waved at them, hurrying along to his waiting carriage.

He jumped in and motioned Link to enter as well.

"Hah! Let's see how long it takes to sort that mess out," said Zellandus joviantly, propping his feet up on the leather clad seat.

Link sat opposite him and raised a speculative eyebrow. "You are not disappointed?"

"Disappointed?!" said Zellandus. "Link, have I not made it clear? I don't want the throne. It's bloody tacky anyways. Could use with a good sprucing up. Probably have to redesign the whole thing. Too much gold, not enough pearl and silver."

Link smiled slightly, his fists clenched as he looked out the window with nonchalance.

There could only be one reason why Zellandus was not accepted as future king.

* * *

><p>Later, in the privacy of his own rooms and confident that Zellandus was no longer in danger since his status of heir had been revoked, Link allowed himself to think about her.<p>

There could only be one reason, and that reason was that Zelda was alive…

Zelda existed in this era, Zelda was out there somewhere and he had to find her.

He sat on the edge of his bed, hunched over. He placed his face in his hands. He soon realized that he was shaking, sobs wracked his throat and tears streamed down his cheeks, wetting his hands.

All those denied emotions, those repressed feelings burst through that restrictive barrier in his mind and fell on him in one huge tidal wave. He'd been in denial from the start in order to keep his sanity. Now that he knew for sure there was no need to hold back. He could think of her and hope.

He howled and at last broke down, wailing for all that he was worth. Then he fell onto his bed, sobs turned into chuckles and soft hiccupping.

He was so happy…just so happy.

She existed, she was alive…

He remembered her. How she looked in the last lifetime, her smooth alabaster face, her bright vivid blue eyes, golden spun hair that reached down mid back like a cascading waterfall. Physically she differed in each new life, but personality wise she stayed the same. He recalled her gentle smiles and soft tones when she explained things to him how the matters of state worked, the firmness in her voice when she dealt with unruly diplomats, and her determination at each new crisis.

He shook in quiet sobs.

Why had he said those things to her? Why!

When had he become so conceited, so self-centered? Why had he ever had the inclination of wanting to hurt her? They were a comfort to each other in times of peril, why had he shoved her away when she'd needed him most?

But foremost, why did she have to die!?

He sniffed and buried his head in his pillow feeling like a child.

He let his thoughts of her consume him and closed his eyes, smiling gently.

If he hadn't encountered her yet then she was probably younger and hadn't regained her memories. She was most likely of some relation to Zellandus, someone with lesser blood who Zellandus had forgotten or was easily overlooked.

One thing he did know was that he would find her. And when he did he'd drown her with his affections. She'd once more be his queen, and he her knight. And if she didn't remember he'd build up their relationship and help her through the pain of remembering when her seventeenth birthday came. And then he'd apologize to her, apologize for all his wrongdoings and for not being able to protect her.

For once he felt life well inside him, lighting his barren heart with its resplendent rays.

He had reason to hope.

* * *

><p>The following days were a vigor of activity. The news had spread throughout the kingdom, the poor postman had been laden with heavy sacks of letters to deliver to all reaches of Hyrule.<p>

Link smiled as he watched the barrage of nobles swarm the bailey, their carriages creating a wreck on the stone drive, so clustered and disorganized and desperate. These were the extended families and relatives of those who had arrived weeks earlier as representatives of their houses to attend the blessings ceremony. It didn't matter their status, wealth, rank and so on, what mattered was that each of these aristocrats was under the belief that they possessed the remotest bit Harkinian blood in them, even the thinnest amount was considered relevant. They came with the high hopes of acquiring the blessing for themselves and to claim the throne of Hyrule.

The priests and priestesses were swamped with work as nobles impeded on them, demanding to be tried for the ceremony. Little by little they distinguished the nobles who were lacking, who had no Harkinian blood, sometimes the Goddesses openly rejected them, and sometimes there was no reaction at all. Some of the nobles even went so far as to have their children be considered, but the holy order insisted that there wouldn't be a sign until they were seventeen at least.

Castle Town was a mess with the sudden upsurge of guests, the inns which had been near brimming before were practically overflowing, and there were only so many people that the castle could hold. Many of the nobles were lucky that they owned townhouses nearby and some even stayed at nearby villages.

Zellandus seemed to be on the edge of the knife about the whole thing. On one hand he was thrilled to have been denied and would not rule after all, on the other he was offended and annoyed. It frustrated him immensely that some other sap would get the throne.

"Look at them all," Zellandus sneered. "Fighting like rats in a pit, all vying for _my_ inheritance."

Link chuckled and gazed down at them. He couldn't help feeling happy and hoped Zellandus didn't take it the wrong way.

The drawing room had a balcony that overlooked the bailey and presented a fantastic view. Most of the royal wing, Link noted, possessed unparalleled views.

Zellandus huffed and turned away, obviously disgusted. He sat down at the table and drank heavily from the sugared concoction that he called tea. "And to think, I had to go an entire day and a half with no meals. No food, no tea, just some water to wet the throat, like one would allow a prisoner."

Another thing that had come up was the questioning of Zellandus' heritage. By law, no bastard child shall inherit the throne, not that the Goddesses would allow for bastard children within the royal family of Hyrule. They'd smite the adulterer first.

The priests and priestesses of the temple had assured that Zellandus' heritage was true, he was the son of the late king and queen. That he'd gotten such a reaction during the ceremony, even though he was rejected, proved his bloodlines. No one else had even managed to create the circle.

There was a knock at the door.

"Enter," said Zellandus, crossing his feet and placing them on the table.

A servant opened the door and bowed lowly. "A message from the Lady Brula. She say's to meet in the council room."

The prince glared at the man. "Is there a meeting? Why wasn't I informed of this? Where is Brula?"

The servant coughed and tried to hide his fidgeting. "Lady Brula said that she is delaying the council. They had meant not to include you, your highness."

Infuriated, Zellandus shot to his feet and stormed out the room. "Those bloody no good rotten-"

Link swiftly ran after him, frowning.

While true Zellandus hated council meetings and anything to do with the council, it seemed that this was the last offense he would take. First the gathering of nobles, now this blatant disregard.

Zellandus threw open the doors to the council room and at once was greeted by the sight of arguing noblemen and women. Brula was there among them and deliberately sighed at the sight of him.

The Ministers looked at him, many wore expressions of discontent, others relief.

Link entered the room after him as Zellandus stomped to the head seat and stood before it. To prevent his hands from shaking, he placed them on the table and leaned on them.

"So," he started, voice low. "You wished to hold council without me…"

Lady Rielle stood up and shot at him. "You are no longer needed, you are not Hyrule's heir."

"How dare you!" shot Lord Kincaid, trembling visibly. "How dare you speak to his highness that way! He is still the prince and deserves respect!"

"Hah, that _boy_ hasn't an ounce of respect from his people. He takes everything as a jest, he was never cut out to be king and the Goddesses recognized that," said Lord Perrington, a mixture of anger and satisfaction clouding his voice.

"Why you filthy little-" shot Commander Deb, hand already grabbing for her sword.

That was it, they had breached the threshold. Zellandus banged his hands on the table. "ENOUGH!"

Black shadows began to coat the room and a cold feeling seeped into their skins. A heaviness fell about them as shrieks and whispers pierced the air. Link recognized the dark magic of the Sheikah and watched solemnly as the ministers recognized it too and at once became silent.

Magic bolts sparked from Zellandus' hands, singing the table.

He breathed out slowly. "It seems… that some of you are under the impression that because I am no longer heir that my word does not hold sway."

Lady Rielle opened her mouth to say something but one warning look from Link prevented her from voicing her thoughts.

Zellandus carried on. "Apparently a reminder is in order. While I might not be heir and therefore never will be king, I am still prince Zellandus Harkinian Hyrule. I am still Hyrule's regent! I stand here as ruler until the one who is chosen to be queen or king of Hyrule arrives to take over. Until then I have the final say, I am the ruler, you obey my word! I am the head of this council. Once the true heir appears and only then will you have the option to omit me from these meetings. For now if such an occurence happens again I will consider the act treasonous and strip you of your positions before throwing you in prison."

He bared his teeth. "Have I made myself clear?"

The ministers all conceded and nodded. Lady Rielle and Lord Perrington did so stiffly, while the others agreed readily.

Zellandus fell back into the head chair, waving his hand at the ministers, still fizzing with magic. "Get out of my sight."

At that moment Brula gave a piercing whistle. The ministers tensed and left the room, the shadows following them out. They would be trailed until they reached their rooms and they knew of the implications should the sheikah catch any of them misbehaving.

Link noted that Commander Deb, as well as Lord Kincaid, Lord Foulkes and Lady Delmont were exempt from being followed. They were probably the ones who had no hand in organizing the meeting and had more than likely tried to oppose it.

"Your highness?" said Link when he saw that the prince was still flaring with magic.

Zellandus cooled down and slumped in the chair, swiping a hand over his fringe and staring up at the ceiling. "Goddesses, what is to become of Hyrule? What if this new heir turns out to be worse? What if they haven't been educated in the deeper functions of politics and bring us all to ruin with poorly made decisions?"

Link smiled lightly. Oh no, Zelda would do none of that. She was far more suited for the position than Zellandus, as much as he hated to devalue Zellandus' ability, it was simple matter of fact.

He was quite anxious to meet her in this time line. For once he was looking forward to the evening balls and soirees because they offered him a chance to search through the nobles and find her. He would even convince Zellandus to offer invitation to the lesser nobility to attend the parties.

"Don't fret," said Link, feeling comfortable enough to take Lord Ivain's seat. He wasn't here to use it, was he? "I'm certain that whoever this new heir will be they won't lead your country to ruin."

"Have faith, your highness," said Brula, ambling over to them. "The Goddesses would not choose someone who was unsuited."

Zellandus sat up. "One thing's for certain," he said. "We have to find this heir before anyone else does. Things can go dire if they are influenced negatively in any way. The only thing is, I wouldn't know where to start. What if they are of so distant a relation that we've lost where their roots connect with the royal line? What if the heir is a child, it might take years for them to be unearthed as the heir."

"Oh, I believe that she is closer than you may think."

Their stares were at once attracted to the new presence. Standing in the doorway was Byron and possibly the oddest looking Zora Link had ever seen. She was slim and tall like any other Zora, but something about her seemed less fish and more Hylian. Her fins were strange and her skin was vastly lighter compared to Byron's.

Byron smiled sheepishly at them. "I apologize for the intrusion. But under the particular circumstances I thought it prudent," he said, and stepped to the side to indicate the other Zora. "This is Lady Frayne our Zoran priestess and caretaker of the water temple."

Zellandus yawned. "Yes, the introduction is nice but I have no more will to socialize for today. So many nobles seeking my attentions, making demands, throwing insults, it's undignified. And tedious."

Lady Frayne nodded. "The country is in chaos and lacks stability. But I know where you may find it. I know the true heir of Hyrule."

This caught their attention. Zellandus gazed at her with half-concealed disbelief, while Brula stared hard as if contemplating.

Link drew a quick breath and felt his heart thump faster. Could it be this simple? By Frayne's serious countenance he deduced that she wasn't fibbing or joking. She had full confidence that she knew who the heir was.

The word escaped Link's mouth before he could register it. "Zelda…"

Frayne's gaze was drawn toward him, her large black eyes glinting. "Then you know." It was then that she observed him properly and a spark lit in her eyes, the likes of which occurred only to those who have reached a revelation. "You are the hero," she stated as factual.

A groan sounded from the high chair and Zellandus flung his head back. "You're not going on about that too are you? Reincarnation, the princess, hero, and evil lord reliving their lives over and over again. Do you hear me? The very sound of it is ludicrous."

"I assure you, your highness, that it is quite true," said Frayne firmly. "The hero's very presence here confirms this fact. As did the failure of the ceremony." She approached and stopped at the end of the table, opposite to Zellandus.

Brula had the sense to clack her cane once on the floor, enshrouding the room in one of her barriers.

"The Goddesses have refused you because they want the true heir," continued Frayne. "Naturally, one would presume that the heir would be child to the king and queen of Hyrule, of which you are."

Zellandus tipped his head in acknowledgement. For all that he looked to be considering little of her words he listened attentively.

"But, what you are not is the first born," said Frayne. "Therefore succession does not directly fall to you."

The prince raised both eyebrows and shot up in his seat. "Not first born? What do you mean, not first born? I'm the only born! I'm my parent's spoiled and rotten only child!"

Frayne held his gaze steadfast, seemingly considering something. "I believe you meant 'spoiled rotten', as two connecting words."

"Don't change the subject!" said Zellandus. "I have no other siblings!"

"You are a priestess you say?" said Brula, squinting to scrutinize her. "I remember meeting you when you were just a child. Even then you were well reputed for your talent and abilities."

Frayne nodded in greeting. "Lady Brula. Forgive me for not visiting. Travel has always proved difficult for me. It is pathetic but I had to rely on my guards for over half the journey here."

"Do not think as such, my Lady," inserted Byron. "None of the Zora see it as pitiful. Rather, you are an emblem of strength to our people."

Frayne stayed silent as if going over his words. "Yes, but it was not always so," she said, her voice void of resentment of any sort.

Nevertheless, Byron looked away abashed, ashamed of something but Link wasn't sure what. He looked over the priestess. What made her become like this, why did she possess these strange features? It wasn't in his nature to pry so he didn't question her. Also one must never comment on the peculiarity of a woman's looks. Unless they were Impa, who had never cared either way, it could land a man in a whole world of trouble. Even if she didn't outwardly portray it a woman would still harbor some fraction of resentment from that moment forward.

The priestess became somber. "I've had a vision."

Brula nodded. "Go on."

"It is about the heir, the princess of destiny yet lives in this era." She was abruptly grasped by the arms and shook lightly.

Link couldn't contain himself as he held onto the priestess. "Where is she? How old is she? What does she look like?"

Frayne tugged his hands off her and brushed over the spots he had touched as if removing dust. "I understand your enthusiasm, hero," she said, although her voice made it evident that she didn't approve of it. "Perhaps you will not be so pleased once you've heard what I have to say."

Link's positive demeanor instantly turned cold. He regarded her warily suddenly unsure if he wanted to hear this. His storming emotions couldn't be ignored, he had to know.

"What is it?" he asked hesitantly.

From the corner of his eye he saw Zellandus leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table, knitting his fingers together. Brula tensed both hands over her cane.

"The vision starts with a black vista. Hyrule castle and the Town appear, covered in a thick mist. The princess exits the town and travels down a path away from the castle. She is heavily cloaked and glowing. But the path before becomes warped, a fierce evil resonates from there, the likes of which I have never felt."

She flung her hand in the air and tossed a dusting of glowing magic. It floated in particles above the table, then swirled as Frayne made a circular motion with her arm.

"I'll explain it plainly. First, the symbolism."

And the magic particles showed the Hyrule castle she'd seen in her vision.

"The castle, clouded in fog. This indicates that some sort of deception is taking place here, a lie or most likely a spell, from my deductions. And it isn't only placed on the castle itself. The castle represents all of Hyrule, or perhaps everything related to Hyrule or that comes in contact with it."

"Such as the visiting dignitaries," said Zellandus, gazing at the model the particles created. He frowned. "What sort of deception do you believe it is?"

Link didn't like the thought of being deceived either. He hated being made a fool of.

Frayne swiped her hand and the picture faded. "A powerful one." She waved again and the magic formed the figure of Zelda.

Link jumped and instinctively reached out before pulling his hand back. Even as an image she was beautiful, although he couldn't see her full face past the shadow of her hood. It was familiar to him.

"The princess of destiny then leaves Hyrule, for whatever reason I am uncertain. She is alone and traveling. An independent one I see. Her destination has no clear end, but the path she takes brings her farther and farther from Hyrule and if she stays her course…"

The magic swirled and blackened, forming a great maw and Link watched horrified as the figure of Zelda was consumed by it before it went on to envelop the whole of Castle Town.

The scene burst as the magic faded. None of them needed Frayne to translate the meaning there. It was clear that if they did not find Zelda a great evil would conquer the land. An evil called Ganondorf.

"So then, this Zelda is supposedly my older sister?" said Zellandus fluidly, voice belying his utmost disbelief. "Presuming that since I am not first born and she is the heir than that makes her my direct relation?"

"How astute of you," said Frayne blandly and unimpressed. "You presume correct. Zelda is your elder sister and heir to the Hylian throne."

"Hah," shot Zellandus jabbing a finger at her. "Then explain this. If she is my sister how is it that I do not know of her? How is it that nobody knows of her?"

Link considered it thoroughly. If he ever wanted to find her and have her back in his life they'd have to solve this. "Could she have been lost as an infant? Or hidden away somewhere?"

"Kidnapped maybe?" added Byron, who was flummoxed by the information. "Perhaps she was perceived as a threat early on of someone who knew of the rebirth cycle, someone like the Kind of Thieves. Maybe there was an attempt at her life?"

Frayne smiled. "Your mind has narrowed on only half the problem. Think, hero. What else was in the vision?"

He was thinking! It was bloody hard with the priestess egging him on like that.

"If the king and queen had had a child prior to the prince then the whole kingdom would have known about it, despite whether she died or disappeared somehow," said Brula.

_But no one remembered the birth of a princess_, he mused. Not even he knew. Before meeting Zellandus his mind had been foggy of anything pertaining to the royals. It didn't make sense because even the peasantry was made to know those consisting of the monarchy and the next ten or so directly in line to inherit.

_Deception!_

That was it! "The entirety of Hyrule is being deceived into not remembering her," he said out loud. "Someone wanted to rid everyone's memories of her."

"Precisely," said Frayne.

Was that it? But that left so many unanswered questions. Who would do such a thing? He'd say it was Ganondorf, but it didn't seem like his style. Ganondorf wouldn't have taken such drastic measures, and for what reason? Also, from Frayne's explanation she made it known that Zelda was in fact alive. Had she escaped whatever disaster had befallen her? Had she been traveling because she'd had nowhere to go because no one remembered and accepted her?

Zellandus sighed and pinched his nose. "This seems rather farfetched. I'm not inclined to believe it, not a single word of it. And how do you know this woman is the 'princess of destiny'. What doesn't make you think she's some other woman? And how do you know that the deception is a spell? It could be a lie or a rumor, could it not?"

Frayne looked at him that was apathetic. "Of course I would not unload this upon you if there was any uncertainty to my deductions," she said. "Two things provide positive proof. The golden glow around the woman indicates that she is a chosen of the goddesses. And as my vision appeared to me, so to did memories of the princess, memories that I had been spelled to forget. The magical block on my mind has been removed by the goddesses."

"I don't believe this!" said Zellandus.

Link shot him a glare then looked back at the priestess. He didn't know exactly what was going on, but he was willing to listen.  
>"For that sort of spell to be cast upon the entirety of Hyrule, and the foreign nations," said Byron, shaking his head. "The sorcerer behind that must be extremely powerful.<p>

The Augurer, aka, Ganondorf. None of them voiced it, but they were all thinking it. But again, what were his motives. His foe grew increasingly perplexing indeed. Link wasn't sure what to think of him. He hated to admit it, but he almost preferred Ganondorf as his brunt and confrontational self. At least he knew him better that way…

But for right now…

Link stepped forward. "How do we break the spell?"

Byron nodded. "How to get everyone to remember her again…"

From the other end of the table he heard Zellandus snort derisively.

"If you permit it, I can personally perform a counter spell and break the block," said Frayne.

To Link's surprise, Zellandus stood and walked over, sighing before nodding his head at the priestess. "Fine. You may perform this magic and help us regain our memories. But I only agree to this so that I may prove you wrong."

Frayne took his words in stride. "Very well. I shall work on a choice few of you, later tonight. Yourself, the hero, and Lady Brula will be among those I heal."

Link's eyes hardened as he dipped his head. Tonight. At long last he would receive answers. At long last he would gain information to search out Zelda.

* * *

><p>He knew who it was! He knew who the heir to the Hylian throne was!<p>

It was her, it was Zelda!

Oh goddesses, how had he been so foolish? How could he have overlooked this, how could he have believe that the goddesses would willingly accept prince Zellandus in place of her?

And now he was further conflicted. If she was the heir, if she was to be blessed then that meant that wisdom would be hers. She was the one they'd need for their plot, for Lord Xerthos to achieve his goals. But using her may mean her death.

He lurked in the back corner of the room, gripping his cane, his head downcast and pondering.

They had all gathered, even the ever busy Vivienne was sitting tensed on the table, eyes riveted on Lord Xerthos who paced around the room, his evil aura flickering as if at any moment he would snap. And that was why they were so aware of him, because when he did eventually snap they were all in the line of fire. Bloodshed would no doubt ensue.

Alceolus quivered next to him, perhaps hoping that he with his magic could shield him if anything went wrong. Dasril couldn't tell if the fat Lord was more angry or scared at the moment. He'd been furious that their plans had gone so astray. None of them had considered what would happen if Zellandus was not accepted as the heir. He had surveyed those who would have been next in line to the throne after Zellandus, but they all too failed to meet the Goddesses' expectations. He was desperate to find a new heir, desperate that it not be Zelda. But all they could do was wait as each of the noble hopefuls underwent the ritual and hope for one of them to be chosen.

But alas, he was in denial. There was no refuting it, Zelda was the heir.

Now…what to do with that information...?

His head snapped up as Xerthos roared, shooting out a hand and blasting his worktable into the opposite wall. It burnt to ash long before it had a chance to smash into splinters.

"How could this occur!" the evil Lord hissed, green eyes flashing. "Damn this country! And damn those filthy Goddesses!"

Reth floated crossed armed in the air uneasily. His finger tapped an unsteady beat on his arm and his eyes flitted about nervously. "Surely it can't take too long for the true heir to be found. Practically every noble in Hyrule is vying for the position."

He was suddenly lurched out of the air, pulled by an invisible force straight to Lord Xerthos. He yelped as his master caught him around the throat and held him up, squeezing. "Do you honestly think any of those weak and pathetic lice will be chosen? It could be a child, it could take years to locate wisdom! Years of which I am not inclined to wait!"

He threw Reth and he landed roughly on the ground, hacking and massaging his throat. Lord Xerthos gazed over him and Reth backed away, before he looked elsewhere.

The rest of them wisely remained silent.

Lord Xerthos considered them with his furious gaze. "Well? Have any of you some other useless input to add?"

Dasril eyes remained fixed on his ornamental cane, which he took to rotating idly on its tip.

"What about you, Dasril? You're ever the one of reason in our assembly, what advice can you give?"

He stopped his rotating and tensed. What advice could he give indeed… The question was should he provide them with the solution?

"There is little to do but as Lord DeSange suggests. We must wait. Chances are the Goddesses won't leave their golden country with no monarch for so long. I'm certain that one of these…lice will be the heir."

"That is sound," said Lord Xerthos. "I agree, the Goddesses would not allow their favored country to be left unstable for lack of a ruler. The moment the heir is found I want them brought before me. We shall assemble in the ancient ruins in Kokiri forest. Do not come without the heir."

Dasril dug his fingers into the pommel of his cane, fighting to hold Lord Xerthos' stare.

"Leave," the evil Lord ordered. "Vivienne, remain here, there is something that I must discuss with you."

None of the men were gallant then as they all fled to leave Vivienne to whatever fate befell her. He would not kill her, would not so much as harm her, Vivienne was far too valuable for that, but with Lord Xerthos' current mood one never knew. Still, it would have been more gentlemanly of him to stay behind and ensure that nothing did happen, however he was far too bedraggled to be of any use. He admitted it, he was scared, if the shaking of his hands were any sort of indication.

He arrived at his room and sealed the door behind him. He rummaged through his cupboards and drawers and cursed the lack of whiskey. He'd finished off his last bottle to help fortify himself to deal with Reth in a conference.

But he knew one place that was bound to have some hard liquor. He eyed the globe on his desk and contemplated using it. It was a one-way teleportation device. He'd have to come up with another excuse for why he was away from the castle, but being who he was that would prove trivial. The weight of his decision relied on whether he was willing to see Zelda quite yet. Would he crumble beneath her gaze? Would he give up all pursuit of power to guarantee her safety?

That had yet to be seen, and he was uncertain which path he would choose in the end.

He groaned and stroked his finger along the globe, his other hand used to cover his face.

Things had gotten so out of hand…

The globe opened and he touched the floating liquid inside. He was instantly teleported out of the room.

His study had a ready fire when he appeared in it. Jeffrey always did make sure to be prepared should he pop in suddenly.

He made a course straight for the liquor cabinet and took out a glass and bottle.

"Dasril?"

Mentally he groaned. He didn't know if he was elated or horrified that Zelda happened to be here as well. She walked into the room, sporting a lovely white and blue gown that clung to her form, accentuating her hips and bosom. Her hair was down and flowed freely as she eyed him with crystalline blue eyes.

She smiled brightly at him. "How did the ceremony go? What of Zellandus, how is he?"

He debated with himself. What to do, what to do…?

In the end he smiled back at her, and as customary, took out a glass for her. "Everything went splendidly, the prince was as irritated at the whole affair as always."

Zelda laughed and his heart twinged.

"That would be him," she said, amused. "Any measure of responsibility he detests. Becoming king makes him responsible for the entirety of Hyrule. It makes one wonder how he will shape it."

"Indeed," said Dasril, handing her the glass and trying his hardest to maintain composure.

She accepted gratefully with a small 'thank you'. She turned to leave. "I shall be in my chambers, I have a missive to send out, and also I leave on the morrow."

He started at that. "Again?"

"Why yes," she replied. "I have arrangements to meet up with my informant. There is much to be done now that Zellandus is officially deigned future king. The Augurer is still at large and I can't allow any more destruction to come to the land."

He gulped and sipped his whiskey. "Of course."

She smiled gracefully at him. "Don't worry. I shan't be more than a few days this time."

He nodded, unable to find his voice as he watched her leave. He sat on the settee, feeling the rays of the fire as it warmed him.

He was frustrated and enraged all at once. Why couldn't it have gone as planned? Why couldn't everything have turned out the way he had expected?

It was his misfortune then that he was the deciding factor of whether Zelda lived or died.

Later on that night he stood watching her as she slept.

So deep in dreams was she that she was completely unaware of his presence, or perhaps it was this place that caused her to lower her guard.

He observed her, how the moonlight shone on her cheek, how her hair splayed out, becoming knotted and ruffled at every toss and turn, how peaceful she looked as she slept beneath the heavy blankets.

He drank from his thirteenth glass of whiskey for the evening, feeling not even the remotest bit inebriated. He flared his internal system, burning off the alcohol, he couldn't afford to lose himself now, despite how his mind worked in contrary to that decision, urging him to drink more.

She shifted and her hand appeared above the blankets, resting near her face on her pillow.

He blinked momentarily startled as he saw something on the back of her hand… a mark of some sort.

Carefully he bent closer to see it then quickly backed away as if his eyes had been seared.

It was the triforce! The symbol of the Goddesses, the bottom left triangle glowing ever so slightly as she dreamed.

She had wisdom! She'd had it all along and he'd never seen it!

Of course not, she'd always worn gloves, it had always been concealed.

This was too much. Along with the shock of the prince's failed blessing he could hardly handle this one and expect to not be affected somehow.

They hadn't needed to wait for the ceremony. It had all been a misconception that the ruler would gain the triforce of wisdom upon being blessed by the Goddesses. Had she been blessed earlier for some other reason?

He shot out of the room, staggering in the hall, he made his way back to his study.

On the way he got ahold of himself. He took deep breaths and came to a decision.

There was only one thing he could do now. He had to tell Lord Xerthos.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: ****Sorry for any spelling and grammar errors I made, as well as any plot holes I might have. I haven't had it proofread yet :P**


	15. Chapter 15

**Thank you to all my reviewers: ObscurityProject, FallenAngel2298, Death Waltz, Generala, Gustave, Bloodspire, PrincessPeach, Captain of Fire, Cameron, princessanime29, and Astercia!**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 15<strong>

The priestess Frayne stood garbed in her ceremonial robe, golden bangles dangling from her wrists and a row of black dots painted above both eyebrows. Night was nigh and the faded glow of twilight gleamed across her sky blue skin like a shadowy cloak. Link watched as she took a stick of chalk and drew a circle on the floor, pressing it hard into the cold stone slab.

"Ideally this would be done in a temple, but you've all seen the state of the nearest one," said Frayne, touching up around the curves.

Link frowned. Even as the sun set and plunged them into night people still converged at the temple seeking the services of the holy order. Many noblemen and women had even opted to sleep there to hold their spot in the queue. Link had never before seen such an obsessed sorry lot.

Frayne went on to draw glyphs around the outer border of the circle, then the inner. Those present watched her as she arched and swayed her hand in guided precision, ensuring that every mark was designed perfectly.

"Ah, done," she said after a while, straightening up and looking over the result of her efforts. "I assume his highness shall be the first."

Link took in everybody in the room, the same room where they'd all gathered in preparation for the rescue of the duke. Brula stood bent backed with pursed lips and forehead wrinkled in a frown, thinking deeply about something. Byron was watching raptly, while Commander Deb stood at ease, staring curiously. A pair of dark shadows crept along the walls and occasionally over the ceiling, ever vigil in their prowling.

Frayne took up her rod from where she had leaned it against the wall and twirled it in front of her before lifting it over her head and slamming it on one of the glyphs, an elongated drawing of a triangle. A flash of power seeped from the base of the rod on contact, spreading and lighting up the glyphs and circle, before dimming. Frayne let go and the rod stood vertical on its own. Link could feel the whole ensemble pulsing like a beating heart.

From beside him Zellandus let out a dreary sigh and shook his head before stepping onto the circle as Frayne motioned him forward.

The priestess' eyes shone obsidian as she gazed at the Prince. "For this process to be successful you will have to remain in the circle until it is complete. A single step out could disrupt the flow of magic and plant false memories in your head in lieu of unveiling your true memories."

The Prince nodded firmly and hissed through grit teeth. "Just be done with it."

Link pinched his brows in concern. "Will it hurt him?"

Frayne merely shrugged. "Perhaps. I really have very little control over any effect it will have on the individual being cast upon, but I assure you it will not kill him."

Zellandus clicked his teeth. "All that matters, eh?" he said in a tight voice.

"It is the priority," stated Brula, unremorsefully. By her curt reply and tense figure it was clear that she was anxious for her own turn, wanting to fit the pieces of the puzzle together and solve this.

Link was also impatient to find out what had happened to Zelda. He hated to admit it, but the retrieval of _his_ personal memories wouldn't be as useful in this case. His knowledge about her at the time would have consisted of being aware of her existence and that she was the heir to the throne. He had not been as close to her as the others had been. It was their memories that would be useful for the investigation.

Frayne clasped her hands together, closing her eyes before opening them and adjusting the rod a tad so that it stood just so. She reclasped her hands, her arms lining up horizontally across her chest, then bowed her head as she started to murmur.

The surface of the blue disk, that featured as the rod's ornament, warped then swirled, heat radiating off it and chasing away the chill of the room.

As soon as the circle's light grew brighter, Zellandus snapped his eyes shut, his muscles coiling reflexively.

Frayne's murmuring grew louder until it echoed off the walls, continuously bouncing and rebounding until it sounded as if multiple people were speaking at once in her voice.

The prince suddenly clutched his head, fingers digging into his scalp and tugging hair.

Link abruptly stepped forward but was stopped by a strong grasp on his arm. He looked over to see Commander Deb, equally as worried, eyes fixated on Zellandus having not once veered away. Her hold on him tightened until Link backed up, then it was relinquished.

His head snapped toward the Prince as Zellandus cried out and fell to his knees. At that moment the light dimmed as the magic faded, leaving Zellandus on the ground, panting harshly and shivering.

"Your highness!" exclaimed Brula.

"Prince Zellandus!" said Byron, eyes wide and panicked.

Zellandus shuddered, his shoulders shaking. "I'm – I'm fine…"

Brula scowled, more in concern than rebuke. "You most certainly are not!"

From her side of the circle, Frayne dropped her hands and cocked her head, peering at the Prince inquisitively. "Your highness?"

Then, as if a dam had been broken, Zellandus released a string of laughter. He shook his head and got up without any trouble, wiping his eyes as he looked at all of them.

Link frowned.

"Goddesses, that was the most amusement I've had all week!" said the Prince. "You all seriously thought I was in pain? It is only the most cliché thing for someone to go through immense pain while having their memories restored." He chuckled and fixed his hair, combing his fingers through the locks and patting down his fringe.

From his corner, Link silently stewed, remembering in full the immense agony he'd underwent when his mind had reclaimed his memories. Zellandus did not know how _not_ cliché it was, but then he'd only had a few years of memories to regain. Link had accumulated centuries of memories upon their restoration, all of it swarming into his head at once, it was a wonder he hadn't exploded.

Brula barred her teeth at the Prince. "A jester be the title for you. Nothing but a complete fool of a man!"

"As I had promised. Alive and virtually undamaged," said Frayne, swiping her head tail back. "What damage there is to his head has already been sustained before I started."

Zellandus turned on her with mock seriousness, although the laughter could not be concealed from his eyes. "I should have your tongue for that. It is treasonous to insult the monarchy, you know."

"You harm her and you'll have the Zoras to contend with," snarled Brula, to which Zellandus waved off.

"I was only joking," he said defensively.

Link's pointed ears twitched in annoyance, his arms crossed in front of him, hands balled to restrain them from grabbing at his sword. "Enough of that. What have you learned? What of Zelda?"

This earned him a raised eyebrow from Zellandus as his mirth devolved into something more austere. "That's _Princess_ Zelda to you! Where do you get off referring to her in a familiar manner? Only I as her brother may call her that. I realize you've been crossing a fine line with her for a time now, ever since we met I wager."

"So you remember her?" said Link almost breathlessly.

Zellandus grumbled, scowled, and crossed his arms, bearing the most petulant and resigned expression anyone had ever managed to show all at once. "Indeed she was…my elder sister…"

That was the most they would get to Zellandus admitting that he was wrong, and Link was more than content with that. He was grinning from ear to ear, excited to hear more. "Well? Go on then, don't stop there."

The Prince glared at him. "What more do you want me to say? I _still_ don't believe in your reincarnation nonsense!"

Link's expression fell for a moment. "I didn't mean that."

He wanted Zellandus to tell him about _her_. What she was like, what she looked like, what were her favorite dishes to eat and any other thing that was her current favorite – because she was a fickle woman that way and what she liked changed all the time, usually at least once a month.

"Shall we move on? Or will we have to wait for your aimless prattle to cease?" said Frayne, repositioning herself in preparation for the next person to take their turn.

"I'll go nex - ooff!"

Byron was roughly shoved aside with a cane as Brula stepped past him and entered the circle. "How rude, blocking the way for your seniors. I expected someone from Queen Helerra's court to show courtesy."

Abashed, Byron's face shone purple as he looked away. He took things too seriously, Link thought.

As Frayne began the ritual once more, Link watched, fidgeting as he impatiently waited for the outcome. Someone nudged him on the elbow and he twisted to look at Commander Deb who gazed at him with a mixture of curiosity and severity.

"What does the Prince mean by the 'reincarnation cycle'?" she said quietly.

He thought nothing of it at first, but then he jolted as it came to him. It had been decided only later that Commander Deb should be included in the ritual to release their memories and so had been filled in about Zelda and Frayne's vision, but she was still out of the loop about the rebirth process. She did not know that Link was the legendary hero, that he had been reliving his life over and over again for over a millennium. She did not know that the main reason he was improving in his battle prowess so quickly was because he'd done it all before and was retraining himself.

It seems they'd forgotten to fill her in on that. Link hoped her opinion of him wouldn't lessen with the truth. He quite liked the Commander.

Maybe it would be better if Brula spoke to her about it. However, one look at the Commander's expectant gaze and her one hand always positioned on the hilt of her sword as if ready to draw made him think she would not have the patience to wait for Brula.

He looked away, training his gaze back on the glowing lights of the ritual. "You've heard of the legend of the hero who wields the master sword?"

The Commander scoffed. "Who hasn't? I've also heard how he is reborn through the ages whenever peril arises to defeat the king of evil."

Good. It was good that she immediately was able to connect the two with just the mentioning of the hero. She automatically figured that it had something to do with _that_ rebirth cycle.

"Then know that I am that hero." Link paused, waiting for an answer. Words that resonated incredulousness like the ones of Zellandus.

After a while she responded. "So, you believe that you are the hero?"

He narrowed his eyes in indignation. "I don't only believe it, I know it."

"You don't have the master sword," she stated, and Link grew more irked.

"I'll get it later."

There were other things he had to do first.

"Where is it?"

"Somewhere in the lost woods most likely," said Link, shifting his eyes to gauge her. Her entire demeanor was one of nonchalance, she emitted the serious nature she'd adapted as the Commander. It was hard to tell whether she truly believed him or thought him mad. Her questions were more probing than skeptical.

As if reading his thoughts, she narrowed her eyes. "I do not know what to think, but I shall not wholly disregard what you have said. I do not yet fully believe you, but I will also not fully doubt you. Not until I have evidence for either option."

Link nodded. That was as good as he was going to get from her. He thought it wise of her to not convict to any one train of thought yet. It just showed that she didn't judge until there was proof.

"By the by, who else has knowledge of your claim?" she asked.

Link jerked his head. "Everyone here in this room, the Sheikahs, the Zoras, aaaaand that's about it."

"Those friends of yours from the festival are not privy?"

Why would he tell them? "It's best that they do not know. Their lives will be less complicated this way."

The lights faded as Brula stepped out of the circle, wrinkles more pronounced than usual. It had taken an exceedingly long time to break the barrier on her memories.

"Well that about took all day," said Zellandus, slouching on a chair. "Your mind slowing down in its old age?"

"Impetuous rude child!" said Brula half-heartedly. "Along with my memories, the rest of the Sheikahs' memories were also retrieved. And I must say, I am greatly disturbed."

"When are you not?" Zellandus scoffed, but leaned forward to listen, recognizing the severity of her tone.

This did not bode well. Link had a feeling that whatever Brula was about to say might shatter something within him. If something bad had happened to Zelda…

Brula turned her head and met his eyes, red encroaching on blue. "I am certain now that this Princess Zelda is the Princess of Destiny."

Zellandus nearly fell out of his chair. "Brula!"

"It is the truth, your highness." Brula's gaze hardened as she glared at the floor. "It must be. What else would account for that..." She slid her gaze to Zellandus who had begun fidgeting. "Her birthday celebration, do you remember that? It was around a month before my memories of her cease."

The Prince furrowed his brows, searching his mind for that particular memory. "Yes, she felt unwell and ran off. Everything went to squall when we found she had fainted. I hadn't been very happy at that."

"Not happy? You went ballistic!" snorted Brula. "Can you tell me of her afterwards? Do you recall how she had acted? What had changed about her?"

Zellandus pondered. "Well she was less whiny overall, and less giggly. Actually, she was rather calm. If there's something in particular you want me to point out I'm afraid I'm at a loss. We barely interacted during that time. It was as if she'd suddenly become busier than usual." He sneered. "Foolish ministers monopolizing her time and trying to teach her how to rule her kingdom I bet. Her blessing ceremony would have only been half a year away." His eyes suddenly widened. "Dear bodacious Farore! She'd have been Queen by now! I wouldn't have had to go through all those years of constantly being nagged and scolded and bothered beyond belief!"

"Despite the fact that your duties as a Prince would have kept you just as busy," grumbled Brula, regarding Link. "Hero, when is it that you learned of your other lives? How do you remember? Is it gradual over time, or by some other means?"

She wanted confirmation to her suspicion, and he would give it. "All at once, the moment I turned seventeen everything about my lives had returned to me."

Byron inhaled sharply. "Then are you saying that that is when the Princess also…"

Brula gripped her cane firmly. "It must be. She had regained her memories of lives long past, but then somehow she disappeared, and all our memories of her had as well. But how, and why? What bothers me is that the Sheikah's memories have been wiped as well."

The presence within his shadow shifted with aggravation. Laval was just as irritated as Brula and didn't care that he was making Link uncomfortable as he expressed it.

"Where did she go? What happened to her and who cast the spell to make us all forget?" Brula mused.

"The Augurer," said Link, fully convinced that it was Ganondorf who'd done it, Ganondorf who was once again ripping their lives apart and ruining everything. Link hadn't noticed he'd been gritting his teeth until he was whacked on the leg and stumbled back.

"Your obsession with the Augurer knows no bounds," said Brula condescendingly, bringing her cane back down to lean against. "Must he be your scapegoat for everything? For all we know he might not be involved in this."

Link pulled his lips back in a snarl. "Then tell me, who do you know has the power and knowledge to cast a spell over all of Hyrule that makes them forget their princess? Then at that same moment they make her disappear without a trace and have somehow kept her hidden for all these years. I assure you that it is not that easy to subdue Zelda, few have ever managed it."

"I don't know, that is why I will be leading an investigation as soon as possible to find those answers," said Brula, her face one of upset and perplex. "But you cannot make fool assumptions in the meantime."

He growled. "So you won't even consider that-"

"I did not say that. I will consider it, but I will also consider other possibilities," she shot at him.

It wasn't what he wanted to hear. He knew it had to be Ganondorf who was causing all these problems. He'd probably taken Zelda as soon as he was certain that she remembered and when her triforce piece came to her. Now he was more than likely waiting for Link, so he could again reunite all the pieces and gain his wish. The same story every lifetime, and all those times he was stopped right before he could get what he wanted.

Link thought of him as a defeated opponent who just wouldn't stay down.

"That's it, I'm next." Commander Deb strode between the arguing pair, breaking off their staring contest, and marched directly in the center of the circle. "I tire of you talking about somebody that I do not know. I can't picture her, I don't know anything about her. To me she is a stranger, an imaginary person with a blank face, and I hate being in the dark."

He frowned but conceded. Commander Deb was closer to this Princess than he was. She had a right to go before him.

"If I am deemed worthy enough to be allotted some time to rest, I'll start on you in about an hour or so."

They all looked over to see Frayne seated on the floor with her back against the wall, eyes closed and tired. Her eyes slit open as she observed them.

"I am drained, I've run out of mana, so unless any of you has a blue potion on hand then you'll just have to wait," she said, closing her eyes and resting back as if she would be happy to just sink into the stone.

"Priestess!" shot Byron, falling to her side. "I apologize profusely for this. I shouldn't have been so negligent in your care."

"Yes," said the priestess. "Atris and Lysander shall surely flay you."

At this Byron's eyes widened in panic.

Commander Deb placed her hands on her hips and sighed. "Damnation. Still left out of the loop."

"Goddesses, will this happen after every few people you cast your spell on?" said Zellandus, quirking an eyebrow. "In that case it might take you a few years to heal every bloody person in the kingdom."

Frayne spoke while resting, Byron had gallantly offered Link's cloak as a pillow and Link handed it over without qualm. "I was already only half capacity to begin with. And Lady Brula extended the ritual to work to heal all of the Sheikah at once, so I have well earned a respite."

Zellandus shut his mouth, suitably chastised. He was bothered, Link could tell in the way he sat there, in his body language, and in his eyes flickering as if he had much on his mind. Could his brashness be a way with coping with stress or worry? Link recalled his time spent with the Prince and saw how he concealed his hope, his anger, irritation, glee and sorrow. In all the situations where those emotions would have been acceptable, Zellandus had always acted flippantly and with jest. Was his pompousness a part of his personality that was augmented in these circumstances to mask what he really felt?

"And it would take more than a measly few years to heal everyone. I deduce that continuing with this method it would take over fifty years to complete this task, and that is if I work constantly. As it stands, my body won't last for that long so it would be a futile task," said Frayne.

"Then how…" spoke Zellandus quietly.

Frayne peeled an eye open and looked directly at Brula. "You know how magic works. The sorcerer could not have gone to each person individually to erase their memories. He had to have had a focus, and from there his magic would spread to encompass all of Hyrule and all who pass through its borders."

Brula nodded. "Essentially, if we destroy the focus, we break the spell."

"Spot on," replied Frayne. "That is, once we've searched the entire castle to find it."

"You don't know where it is?" asked Link.

"I…sense it within the castle, but to pinpoint its direct location…" Frayne murmured. "No, we would have to search for it. It is too well concealed for me to find it myself. Even sensing it is a trying task, I was only able to feel its presence because I was specifically looking for it."

"Then we must find the focus," said Commander Deb, resolutely. "Once the kingdom regains their lost memories we have a chance at finding someone who may know what has happened to the Princess. Not to mention those blasted nobles will have to leave."

* * *

><p>It was agreed once the Commander's, Link's and Byron's memories had been returned that they'd seek out the focus. Brula sent out a pair of Sheikah to search the land for Zelda while the others would attend to their duties but keep a sharp lookout for her.<p>

They left the chamber an hour to midnight and Frayne was escorted to her rooms, on the northeast side of the castle, a specialized section reserved for visiting Zoras. Pools of water coated each dip in the floor, and her skin lapped it up eagerly.

Her bedroom consisted of a regular Hylian bed, or if she preferred, there was a circular hole hollowed in the floor, filled to the brim and which opened up to an underwater chamber beneath her bedroom.

She stepped in the water and allowed herself to sink, her buoyancy keeping her afloat at midlevel. She would sleep floating like this.

She had been uneasy ever since she'd begun the rituals. Meeting the Prince's eyes had been especially hard for her to do in the end.

She had not mentioned anything, had not even revealed that she too was bothered, but for a different reason.

She'd felt the magic that circulated in their minds, felt how it formed a barrier around certain memories and information, felt how difficult it was to break and how hard it fought as she tore it down.

What bothered her was that she knew that magic, she'd sensed it before. Wisely she had remained silent and with that an unbearable sense of guilt welled up within her. But it was the right decision, she couldn't tell them.

One could only imagine how they'd react upon learning that it was the Princess Zelda herself who had cast the spell.

* * *

><p>He'd been right. His memories of her within this lifetime were useless. It was almost not worth having the ritual done on him. He knew of her existence and that was it. However, past knowing that she was alive, he was mostly solemn about it all. Two days had passed and they'd still made no progress with finding the focus or finding out anything about where she is.<p>

They were scouring each section of the castle bit by bit, but with the amount of guests around it was difficult to do so. They had to be discreet and even then, Link was not really sure what they were looking for. Frayne had said she'd be able to sense it if she were close enough, perhaps in the same room. Link hoped it wasn't in any of the guest quarters, which they would have no right intruding in. She said the focus was usually a weapon, a special stone, or something made out of metal. It would have glyphs on it, and the size could range from as small as one's fist to as large as the furniture.

It was a bothersome task to say the least. The castle was just too big for five people to search. He considered asking Amy to help out but then he'd have to explain why and reveal everything to her and he was sure that Brula wanted to keep this as hush hush as they could.

Another thing that got in the way were the ever many social functions in which Zellandus' presence was required, and in extent his as well.

Link refrained from rolling his eyes as a new batch of women, who'd arrived in Castle Town after the failed ceremony, flocked around him and the Prince. He'd considered the throne room crowded before, but now there was barely any room to walk from one end to the other. And they might as well forget about dancing. Attempting that in this cluster could only go wrong.

Suddenly the low tones of Zellandus' voice from beside him stopped. Link looked over to see Zellandus staring intently at something further off before his eyes became enflamed and anger surged across his face.

"Your highness, what is it?" he asked lowly, trying to catch what he was looking at, or more precisely whom. Other than Wist and James, the later who could enrage anyone in a heartbeat, there was nothing that would merit the reaction.

Link blinked in surprise when he noticed that Zellandus was actually grinding his teeth! The Prince took a deep breath inward and hissed. "Now I remember. I remember why that Wist always grated on my nerves. I knew there was a reason that I _never_ liked him."

Link smiled amusedly imagining something petty and frivolous.

"He was the most annoyingly persistent of my sister's suitors!"

A war cry sounded in his head. Link seriously considered if it would be worth it to convince the man to redirect his affections to someone else despite the fact that Wist currently had no clue who Zelda even was. His hand had found his sword before the thought had finished forming in his head, but rationality forced it to not move from there. If anything he'd appear a madman if he went through with it.

Instead he looked at Wist, studying him with new eyes. Wist was indeed good looking, he couldn't deny that. He had long established that the man was polite and charming, considerate and generous, he would add smart to that assessment, however from his choice in friends that attribute would forever be questionable. He was talented and brave, his part on the rescue mission showed that, but how careless of him to get caught and be puppeteered that way. And how irksome it was that he and Aiden still called him 'Captain' whenever they saw him.

Link narrowed his gaze. The man was clearly flawed, inadequate, and unsuitable to be courting a Princess. Yes, Wist would be better off with someone of a lesser station.

"You know," said Link, looking at Wist sidelong, and jutting his head higher. "I never much liked him either."

* * *

><p>North of Castle Town and southwest of Snowpeak lay a vast forest, leaves fading from splendid green into molten browns and reds, one by one falling from their perches and clustering on the ground. It was autumn and soon these parts would be covered in snow.<p>

Zelda trudged on, boots crunching the fallen leaves beneath her heels, cloak drawn close over her body adding an additional layer of warmth over her leather garments.

There was a crack in the underbrush and Zelda quickly pulled her mask over her face then pivoted, hand poised to draw her ninjato. A moment later a deer stuck its head up from where it had been grazing, saw her, and dashed off.

Zelda relaxed her muscles, once again continuing on, this time she kept her mask in place. Ever since that encounter with Link in the Fortress she half expected him to turn up everywhere she went. In hindsight she should have known he'd be there. He was always around rescuing people, the Goddesses seemed to direct him in a way so that he'd be there to assist whenever a crisis did come up.

She stopped and gazed forlornly at the canopy above her. Her thoughts continuously turned to him. It seemed that he was always on her mind. She looked forward and continued walking.

Seeing him again so soon, and being so close to him… He'd held her, if only for a moment, and he hadn't known who she was. But he'd also threatened her life. She didn't hold that against him. She'd had done the same if their roles were reversed.

Working alongside him reminded her of old times. She'd felt spirited fighting with him against the enemy. It had been thrilling, frightening, and wonderful all at once. But it hadn't lasted. In the end it was all a fantasy. She was deceiving him. To him he fought with the being called 'Hawk', not her. And to her…well…it was a moment in which she could pretend that they were once more together, someplace on their journey to defeat Ganondorf. The only part that had been real was her deception. If she could will it, he'd never lay eyes on Hawk again, their game of chase would be ended. He'd go on thinking she'd been a Labrynnian spy and she would let him, no matter how much she ached to tell the truth.

She was around him too often, intentional or accidental, and it could not happen again. Each time he saw her was a chance that her identity would be revealed. That could not happen. And each time she saw him her heart shattered that much more.

If anything her experience in the Fortress taught her that she could get caught. Link had reacted faster than her in their encounter and she'd been restrained as a result. It was only his sense of respect that had stilled his hand from yanking down her mask. He knew other people had things to hide, he respected their privacy. But if he'd had any inkling as to who she was, if she had spoken and he'd recognized her voice, she had no doubt that he'd have taken her mask right there, privacy be damned.

There was another thing she'd learned while in that Fortress.

He'd appeared to them then. The Augurer had been standing not twenty feet in front of her and she hadn't been prepared. She'd been chasing the Augurer all this time and she hadn't once yet considered what exactly she'd do once she caught up to him. She imagined battling him, she'd been training to battle him for over two years now, but she hadn't taken into account his hordes and the other minions that were under his command. Link had the ability to take down hundreds of opponents at once, he had the technique for it, she could only take on so many before she was overwhelmed. Also Ganondorf could only be defeated by the master sword. Meaning that unless she were to somehow be enabled to wield the legendary blade herself, Link had to be the one to end it.

No matter her efforts to prevent it, it appeared that a confrontation between Link and Ganondorf was inevitable, and she despised herself for her uselessness. If she could shoulder the burden on her own then she would, Goddesses knows the many times Link had to strive forward on his own without assistance, why couldn't she. Why couldn't she have been given a weapon of equal divinity to slay formidable monsters? Her magic was her most powerful weapon, but it was easily matched by Ganondorf's. Nothing she had gave her the upper edge.

She stretched her fingers as she pondered this, letting wisps of magic envelop them and swirl around before she shook it off.

She followed no path and yet she knew exactly where she was going. She could see peeks of her destination through the gaps in the trees. Soon she entered a small glade and was greeted with the sight of the witch's hut.

It was an average size, with a roof that resembled the cap of a mushroom, red and bulbous. The windows were shuttered tight, vines crept up the side of one wall and a ghastly black smog wafted from the chimney. It looked less than inviting, but Zelda strode up to the door and knocked anyways.

She looked back over her shoulder as she waited for the witch. Eyes trained in the direction of Castle Town, only a three hour walk away.

A raspy old voice bid her enter and she obeyed without hesitation.

Behind a steeping cauldron, Apple, the witch, hovered from on top of her stand and dropped more ingredients into the brew she was currently concocting. The liquid in the cauldron sizzled and spat, and she stirred it with her long wooden spoon until it turned a rosy pink.

"Alive are you, Princess?" she rasped in a croaky voice. "Won't be forever. Luck will soon run out, it will."

Zelda stood in the center of the room and observed the witch. Apple claimed to be well over two-hundred years old, and with her long sheer white hair, split ends trailing on the floor behind her, her _substantial_ three foot tall form, long pointed ears sticking out at a droopy angle, and hunched back, Zelda could well believe it.

Zelda gazed at her solemnly. "I am in need of a reading."

Apple cocked her head at her. "Is that all you be needing?"

"And a new supply of potions." A lie, but Apple had to be appeased.

Apple nodded and hopped spryly off her stand. "Alright then. In the fortune room where I will read your fortune."

She followed the short old woman through a curtain which barred a small section of the room they were already in. Long used to this routine, she seated herself on the purple cushion in front of an enormous crystal ball, as Apple exchanged her witch's hat for one with no brim and that drooped down her back.

Apple plopped herself on a larger cushion on the other side, hands hovering over the ball, moving in wavy motions. "Want to know your fortune do you? That'll cost you a small fee…"

Zelda withdrew a red rupee and offered it to the witch who took it gleefully.

"Generous girl. Course I expect no less from my best customer."

No competition for that title. Her only other customer was a temperamental pine marten. However, Apple liked to pretend she was more successful than she actually was.

Apple went on to stare at the orb, her eyes appearing to bulge from their sockets.

"Magic magic ages old,

Let this woman's future be told."

Zelda gazed into the orb as Apple muttered her little rhyme. It was always the same process.

The ball fogged up then a picture showed within, clear and bright. Bubbles rose over a vast blue vista before the entrance of a dark cave appeared. Armored Zoras swam into it, and Zelda could sense an unpleasant feel from it. The scene changed to above land to another cavern this one gashed into the side of a short cliff. She saw herself approaching the cavern, pausing, then darting inside.

The scene ended and Zelda blinked her eyes clear.

"That's all that's all. If you want to see it again you have to pay another twenty rupees."

Silently she stood and exited the 'room'. "That is not necessary, thank you."

Apple switched her hat back to the wide-brimmed one and peered at Zelda with anticipation. "About those potions…"

"I have four empty bottles with me right now," she said, reaching for her pouch.

"Oh goody!" Apple hobbled over to the row of cauldrons against the back wall.

Zelda made a show of studying each of them, easily identifying each one and what they were for.

"That cave in the vision, do you know where it lies?" she asked, dipping a ladle in the red frothy brew and filling up her first bottle.

"Beneath Lake Hylia of course. Zoras been on about that cave for weeks. They don't like it. Dropped the lake level by half a foot, but only I know that."

She corked the first bottle then scooped up a green potion to fill the next. "And the second cave? The one I enter."

"Why would you need to know where it is if you find it eventually. The vision say's so," said Apple, grinning toothily.

Zelda stopped right before she tilted the ladle to pour the green liquid into her bottle. She lowered the ladle back into the cauldron and looked forward as if in thought. It didn't pass her how Apple's face fell at the motion.

"Yes, but if I am to find it, perhaps it is because someone has told me where to look."

Apple wrinkled her nose. "I suppose. It's in the gully on the east side of Heron Lake."

Heron Lake? Hadn't Dasril said that Link was from Heron Falls? Was it coincidence that the next leg of her journey would lead her there?

"And you're sure this is where the Augurer will be hiding next?" she asked, corking the second bottle full of green potion.

Apple smiled at this. "Oh, not the Aug'rer you'll be finding there. Something dangerous lurks within, eating Zoras at its whim. Yum yum yum, in its tum."

Zelda's head perked up. "The Zoras are in danger!"

Apple was positively cackling. "That Queen be the beast's next foe, or will she be taken by the undertow."

"Enough of your rhyming," said Zelda, shoving the cork on the third bottle.

The witch blinked, her eyes shifting back and forth. "Rhyme? What rhyme! I'm no poet."

As Zelda finished bottling the last potion she dug out an orange rupee and placed it on the counter, more than enough to cover the cost of her purchases.

Apple picked it up and held it to her sparkling wide eyes. "Oh, gracious one. So benevolent and rich."

Zelda adjusted her cloak and made sure her mask was properly in place before striding out the door. "Thank you for your time," she said lastly to Apple.

The witch waved her whole arm, clutching the rupee in her hand. "Come again soon! Twice a day is fine by me!"

Outside Zelda breathed air free of fumes and dust.

Apple had been her informant ever since she had come upon her little hut a year ago. She was reliable and discreet, although there were hardly any other customers around to which she could prove that last statement. Nevertheless, she had yet to go wrong with any of her fortunes. If her vision showed somewhere that Zelda would be in the near future then eventually and somehow Zelda always ended up there.

Zelda stood still in the glade, feeling the wind whip around roc's cape. Birds sang as they hopped around a flower patch ten paces to the left and near a rotting tree stump.

Southeast, that is where she had to go next. So close to Link's village. He wouldn't be there for sure. She wouldn't run into him this time. He'd be at the castle, protecting her brother, the future king of Hyrule.

She smiled thinking about it. It was hard to imagine Zellandus as king. She hoped Link would stay close to him, that they were becoming good friends and would be with each other as brothers for the rest of their lives.

Something wet trailed down her cheek and hastily she reached her hand under her mask and wiped it away then wiped under both her eyes, sniffing slightly.

The door to the hut all of a sudden slammed open.

"You going stand around here all day? You'll be scaring all my customers off!"

Zelda pointed herself southeast and began walking. The witch slunk back into her hut, mumbling dryly.

* * *

><p>His mind was blank when he finally decided to reach for the onyx stone he'd been staring at for the past three hours on the side table. Rubbing his thumb over it clockwise activated it and instantly his study dissolved around him, colors changing and smells becoming stronger immersing him in the scent of wood and moss.<p>

Once everything stilled he found himself deep in the forest in southern Hyrule. Here the trees reached endlessly to the sky, bases thick and branches heavy, their leaves were large and green, moist with morning dew. The warp stone Lord Xerthos had given him placed him on an overgrown cobblestone path and he kept his eyes on it as he followed it to his destination. These weren't called the Lost Woods for nothing. If one wasn't careful and watchful of where they were going one would be pulled within the forest's magic and wouldn't find their way for days, or ever.

Dasril soon learned not to trust his ears. Whispers reached him, voices coaxing him to step off of the path into the trees, behind it all there was childlike laughter, someone mocking him.

He stared ahead, fighting not to look over into the trees where he suspected eyes watched him diligently from the shadows.

They kept on whispering and laughing and Dasril had difficulties trying to tune them out. It was especially hard with his Hylian ears, which possessed superior hearing capabilities and were naturally attuned to the whisperings of magical creatures.

At the end of the trail rose the ancient ruins of a long forgotten castle the name of which had also been forgotten. Over time it had melded with the forest until they'd become one. Moss and lichen coated the stones, the seeds of plants had snuck into many of the cracks and crevices and had taken root there, growing into massive trees and ferns. Part of the castle had crumbled on one side and a creek had carved a path through the rubble there, pooling against the stone wall.

Dasril ducked under a arching tree root, as thick as a pillar, and stepped past the fallen gates and defensive wall.

He swallowed thickly, staring up to the grand door leading to the great hall. Xerthos was within, waiting for any to them to bring Hyrule's heir. He did not have her with him, but he could tell him about her, tell him that she existed and who she was.

It was all for power, he had to do it for power.

He shoved the door open and winced as it creaked on its hinges. Torches ignited at his presence and the door creaked shut. Lord Xerthos must have heard that, there was no chance to pretend that he wasn't here, no going back now. The only way was forward.

So Dasril braced himself and went further in.

An archway opened up to the great hall, a long room with a small throne at the end, filthy and most importantly empty. He imagined that was where Lord Xerthos would be waiting for them, but evidently he was not around.

Dasril cast his gaze towards the multitude of doors on each side not really wanting to navigate the entire castle in order to find the man.

Luckily he didn't have to. His nerves jumped as Lord Xerthos' voice resonated around the hall.

"And what are you doing here, Dasril?" Lord Xerthos stood looking down at him from a balcony, one hand hidden behind his back, the other resting leisurely on the balustrade. "I see no one else with you. Did I not explicitly instruct that you are only to return if you have the heir with you?"

Here it is, there was no stopping him now. He was going to go through with it, he was about to figuratively hand Zelda over to this embodiment of evil.

"I – I come to tell you that I have found the heir," he said boldly, clearly, without any hint of the fear he felt right now.

A flash of smoke and Xerthos disappeared from his balcony. Another flash and he reappeared five feet from Dasril, green eyes blazing.

"Who is it? And why have you not brought them here?"

Dasril felt ill at the dark magic rolling off of the man, but exhibited no sign of ailment. "She is the Prince's elder sister, Princess Zelda. She has concealed herself all these years with a memory spell cast upon all of Hyrule and all somehow associated with Hyrule."

Lord Xerthos motioned for silence and brought a hand to his face, touching the tips of his fingers to his forehead. His brow creased and his hand shook, then he yelled and ripped his hand away. Rage blazed in his eyes, a look of fury Dasril had never witnessed in him before.

"I remember her now, Princess heir of Hyrule," shot Lord Xerthos, face once again taking on his passive expression, although his eyes retained their fury. "How dare she tamper with my mind. How dare she succeed in tampering with it." His eyes alit on Dasril. "Where is she now?"

Dasril breathed steadily to calm his racing pulse. He must stay level-headed. "Understand, my Lord, that I too have been affected by her memory spell and so had no recollection of her as the Princess. Something however triggered in my mind and that is when I remembered everything. She's been residing with me, Lord Xerthos. At my home in Snowpeak…"

For a moment he thought Xerthos might fly into a rage, the way his power flared and his eyes grew more intense. However, Lord Xerthos merely jut his chin up and looked down at him.

"So that is where you run off to all those times. I never imagined you to be besotted by womanly charms," he chided.

Dasril's face reddened appropriately, both at the innuendo and with guilt. The guilt is what ate at him most.

But it had to be done.

"Bring her to me," said Lord Xerthos darkly. "And make sure to enjoy your lover's look of betrayal as you hand her over to her demise."

"It – it is not that simple," murmured Dasril, keeping his eyes locked with Xerthos'. "She is a sorceress, and a powerful one at that. She surpasses even I in magical aptitude."

"I see," Xerthos spoke with ice to his tone. "Then it is good that Reth has come up with a device that will make capturing her _simple_. It helps that you are so close to her. She shall be brought here and I shall send Reth to abduct three members of the holy order to perform the blessing's ceremony." His voice deepened when he spoke next. "If you end up being false and she is not granted with wisdom…"

And finally, the last blow to ultimately doom her. "She already has it. She possesses wisdom."

"What?"

Xerthos displayed his shock in that one word for nothing else on his face changed as he said it.

Dasril swallowed and further doomed her. "I saw it. The triangle on her hand. She has the mark of wisdom."

This time Dasril couldn't help but stagger at the force of Xerthos' power. It swelled and wreathed around him and within it Dasril could sense glee, excitement, uninhibited delight.

Dasril clutched his throat and panted, the aura suffocating him as if it were an air borne toxicant.

The aura receded and Dasril was left to inhale clean air again. His head cleared, gaze settling on Lord Xerthos whose hand had disappeared into his robe then withdrew, clutching a grey-clouded sphere.

"Use this when next you see her. Capture her and bring her here," intoned Xerthos darkly.

It was too late now. Too late to change his mind, too late to save her. He could do nothing but follow his order.

He took the sphere and placed it deliberately in the pocket on the inside of his vest. He fixed the lapels and straightened out his coat over it.

"Our goal is nearly reached. Go now, Dasril. I shall summon the others. We'll be waiting for you."

He went to leave, his heart pounding harder in his chest with every step. His eyes widened at the threshold but he kept his composure until he had left the castle. Then he ran.

He ran until the castle was no longer in sight. Until he was well lost deep in the woods surrounded by whispering childlike voices and hidden dangers.

Then he collapsed on the ground and heaved great gasps.

How could he do this to her? How could he betray her like this?

No. He knew why. He did it all for gain. Power was more important than a woman, especially one besotted with a pathetic bodyguard.

Clenching his teeth, he released an angry growl and snatched the warp stone from his pocket. He rubbed his thumb over it counterclockwise just as a beast hidden in the undergrowth was about to pounce on him. He shot a flash of magic at the beast, felling it, before he completely disappeared.

He appeared in his study, stumbling around.

"Zelda? Zelda?"

Furtively he cast his eyes over the room only to find her absent. He slumped to the settee and rang for Jeffrey.

Jeffrey arrived not a moment later. "Yes my Lord? My Lord!"

He must have looked a sight with his head bowed, tangled hair concealing his face, one hand covering his face. He looked like a drunkard, and felt as miserable as one too. The only thing is, he hadn't been drinking.

"Is Zelda here? Where's Zelda?"

He heard Jeffrey approaching. "My Lord, are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" he snapped. "Stay where you are. Where is Zelda?"

Jeffrey stopped his advance, his gruff voice terse as he responded. "She has not yet returned, my Lord."

"Go then," he ordered. "Leave me."

Jeffrey reluctantly did as bid, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Dasril shook in anguish. Oh, why did he have to feel like this. Like a wretch!

He threw his head back and tugged at his lengthy locks of hair. With an outward sigh he resolved to get himself cleaned up. Zelda could not see him like this. It would instantly put her on edge. He had to be primped and clean, he had to be casual when next he encountered her.

His eye caught sight of the alcohol cabinet on his way out and he immediately had to tamp down the urge to throw it open and down a few bottles. It was a thing done for leisure, it was a privilege to indulge in those alcoholic beverages. He would not turn it into a necessity.

With that he stormed out.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: New character Apple! Apple was the name I forced my younger sister to name Epona when she first played Twilight Princess, haha. I like it. **

**I admit, I'm a bit irritated. I was reading 'Throne of glass', and found that the author also has a Lord Perrington, and she has a man named Brullo, too similar to Brula for my liking. It's all coincidence, but I still don't like it. Grumble grumble...**

**Okay, since I can't answer you directly, Cameron and Captain of Fire, I'll answer your questions here:**

**_Captain of Fire:_ I haven't mentioned anything about Xerthos' plans because whenever I try to input it somewhere in the story it turns out awkward. I arranged a specific time where he reveals everything (almost everything) which makes it sound better than just plugging it somewhere in there. As for the plot...There is plot, not everything needs to be constant action and adventure ^^.**

**_Cameron_: Not giving you anything that could be spoilers ^^. You always seem to get ahead of me, first with wanting to see Link's internal struggle and now Zelda's feelings about the incident in the fortress, lol. I only just wrote her point of view since the fortress scene so here you get a little insight on what she thought about it. Don't worry, I have most of this planned out, but it's good that you keep on pointing things out to me, just in case I miss something ;). As for what she was doing there? I think I mentioned at the end of chapter ten that she was told by her informant (who we just met in this chapter ^^) that the duke was captured by the Augurer so she went to track him down.**

**As for the villains, right now they're sort of playing a waiting game. That's why they're so inactive. They can't do much right now, but know that this is only part 1 of the story. There's going to be a part 2 and they'll play a much larger role there. Hope that'll make you happy ^^.**

**I don't really see it as farfetched that they are able to meet in Hyrule castle. Considering how big I imagine it (monstrously massive, lol) and that they meet in a hidden room somewhere way down deep in the subterranean passages of the castle that has not been frequented in ages. People (mostly servants) might notice them sneaking away, or appearing all of a sudden in deserted corridors, but considering Dasril and Alceolus' stations they probably don't question it. As for Reth and Vivienne, they just teleport in and out. **

**Hope that helps clear things up for you!**

**Thanks for the questions ^^! I'm always happy to answer.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Thanks for reviewing: ObscurityProject, tetraforce theory, Generala, Bloodspire, Zilch, FallenAngel2298, Death Waltz, Schniedragon88, zeFluffleTruffle, Cameron, Yukiame, Astercia, C-Jam, The 8th Sage, PrincessPeach, and kiboeme!**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 16<strong>

It wasn't often in her lives that she had a chance to go spelunking. That specific brand of duty was more commonly delegated to Link, and Zelda was usually fine with that. She had never much cared for exploring dark and dank places.

Zelda stared into the black hole before her, nothing more than a crag in the rocks, but ominous and shady all the same. She'd been in a few caves during her journey and encountered nothing more than keese and the occasional skulltula. Neither were any cause to worry, but this was different. This cavern was said to contain something that threatened the Zoras. Going by Apple's word, it was a creature that devoured them. Zoras could normally outswim anything beneath the waters, the only monsters capable of catching them and posing enough of a threat to endanger them had been boss monsters. By Link's account of his previous battles against such monsters, Zelda determined that she had no inclination of wanting to fight one.

She had to steel herself against her dislike of the situation. If she didn't help the Zoras then who would? And perhaps her being Hylian would provide her a sort of advantage against the beast that the Zoras did not have. Perhaps…

She heard birds singing their trill to the bright early morning, the subtle waves of the lake lapping at the shore from just beyond that grove of trees. And above all she heard the howling of the wind whooshing into the cave and the cave's deep breathing as if it were a living being, a sentient monster bidden into a deep slumber.

And she was about to walk right into its mouth.

She was by no means scared, a little apprehensive perhaps, but she had long ago discarded any emotion associated with fear. Few things truly frightened her these days, the destruction of Hyrule and takeover by Ganondorf being the first on that short list. Compared to that any expense she had to pay during her travels were insubstantial.

Adjusting the strap of her pack over her shoulder, she pulled on her mask and fixed her hood around it. She had decided to forgo roc's cape this time in exchange for a plain black cloak, thin and somewhat waterproof. She expected there'd be little room to jump and glide underground, and expediting her step would only run her into walls. All in all she didn't want to chance wear and tear and she'd rather not dirty the magical artifact, so she'd left it back at the manor in her wardrobe.

Fingering her pouch, she felt for the shapes within, once more checking the contents and ensuring she had all she needed. She was buckled down with weapons all over her person, their weight adding a sort of comfort to her. She was armed to the tooth, ready and willing to use the weapons at her disposal to her ultimate advantage.

She wondered if any of the villagers had ever found this cave and explored it. Did the men and women at Heron Falls ever venture to this side of the lake at all?

She'd encountered no one on her way over, purposefully choosing to bypass the village and extend her route around it in a detour. She didn't imagine they'd take to well to a suspicious masked character wandering their woods. It was best to not be seen.

Looking again at the cave she scrutinized the soil near its opening, detecting no visible tracks other than an old trail left by a Keaton. Everything was so still, as if waiting for her to take action. The cavern breathing in and out calmly, soothingly, knowing that it's prey was just feet away and that she'd willingly walk in on her own in due time. If anything it was tame, although if she concentrated enough and stretched her senses deep down into the confines of the cave she could just barely sense something foul. She did not want to go in after it, but what choice did she have?

Deciding she had dallied long enough, Zelda took one last quick look around and then walked into the cave, the jagged maw seeming to swallow her whole.

Inside was rank with mud and mildew. She tried not to let the oppressive feeling of the narrow walls bother her, arguing to herself that if there was a beast hidden within then the tunnel would widen up eventually.

She paused just inside the opening and turned around to face the outside. She allowed magic to build in her hands then pulled them in. She then spun her hands and thrust them upwards. A faded glow emitted around her and swirled in a vortex upward. From her hands a green orb of light was created and it gracefully floated over to the entrance of the cave to hover in place.

With Farore's wind cast she was confident that if things became to dire she would easily have an escape ready for her.

She strode further in with assured steps until she was forced to slow as her vision became limited and she had to be careful of her footing.

Ten steps in was where the light absorbing foliage ended to be replaced with their counterparts, similarly featured botanical growths that instead dwelled in the darkness. Long blades of dull grass swayed as she moved through them. Her ears pricked at the subtle scuffles echoing in the distance, and it came to her that there were probably rats inhabiting the cavern, ones as large as small dogs.

She strived not to think of those and she plowed on, the darkness becoming more consuming the farther she ventured in. Her Hylian eyes adapted quickly to accommodate the lack of light, however although better than most they were not the all seeing eyes of the Sheikah that she'd once possessed. She withdrew a lantern from her pack and with a flick of her wrist lit it up.

The walls in some place drew so close that she had to sidle between them to get past, at some points the floor all the sudden disappeared, opening into wide chasms and she had to make use of her longshot to get across.

It didn't take her long to realize that all the while she had been slowly moving on a winding path downwards. If she were correct she was heading down a route that led directly to Lake Hylia, the cave no doubt connecting eventually to its counterpart at the bottom of the lake. Whatever the creature was, she hoped that she wouldn't have to submerse herself in the water to face it. That prospect was one she was not looking forward to, not to mention she had no proper gear with which to breathe beneath water.

The tunnel seemed to extend forever and she quickly grew bored with the constant sight of rock and darkness. It was at times like these that she wished she trusted Dasril enough to accompany her so at least she'd have another presence to draw some form of comfort from.

She checked the oil gage for the lantern and in doing so missed a step. Her foot dropped farther than it was supposed to and she fell forward.

The ground had steepened into a direct slope downward. She shrieked as she slid, scrambling to find any purchase, her fingers clawing for a hold. She let go of her lantern in her struggle and it clanged down before her, its light extinguishing.

With tremendous effort she managed to roll onto her back, her cloak bunching beneath her as gravity continued to pull her down. She rummaged in her pouch and extended her arm, hand clutching the longshot. She aimed the point up towards the ceiling and fired.

A loud clang rang through the tunnel and the point retracted back into the device. Not giving up just because of one failure, Zelda pointed it again and shot.

_Thud_!

The point buried into the stone and Zelda was yanked harshly as she stopped her decent.

She laid on back on the slide, panting heavily, her arm stretched above her. The quick jerk of the coil tensing had nearly torn her shoulder out of its socket and she was feeling the ache of that now.

Zelda grit her teeth and bore with it, maintaining her hold on the clutch, despite her body screaming at her to let go. Cautiously she pressed the button that would gradually lengthen the wire, lowering her slowly.

Now that she wasn't panicking she could think more clearly and take a look at her surroundings. At the end of the slide was an opening with more darkness beyond. She wasn't too sure that she wanted to go there. Her eyes tried to pierce past the gloom, but she saw nothing.

She lowered herself until the toes of her boots had slipped through the opening then brought her other hand before her and lit it with magic. The added light did very little to help her, but from what she could feel the opening led to a drop. There was a void beneath her feet.

Gently she dropped through the opening until she was dangling against a wall and that was the extent of the longshot, it lacked additional length to carry her any further.

She held out her lit hand and looked around. To her surprise she was inside another tunnel, much larger and completely circular as if a giant worm had drilled a path through here. Directly below her laid a small formation of water, an image of herself reflecting off the surface, glistening from the glow of her light.

She contemplated her predicament with a growing sense of trepidation. It was clear now. This must be the tunnel that connected to the Zora cavern. She once again looked down and had her face not already been whitewash with fear she would have blanked at the sight.

Her eyes measured a twenty-foot drop approximately, manageable but painful if she didn't make the land properly, and she didn't have the ease of roc's cape to utilize this time. There was no telling how deep the water was, for all she knew it could be a shallow layer over a cold stone floor, and if it was deeper then there might be things hidden within that would pose a danger to her.

It appeared that it wouldn't matter anyway. She could feel the point of the longshot gradually loosening as her weight pulled at it. At this point she could only hope for the best and pray she didn't end up too damaged from the ordeal.

Squeezing her eyes tight, she pushed another button on the longshot that was set to dislodge the point. As soon as it was free Zelda went plummeting.

She held her breath, feeling the coil of the longshot retract as she fell. She hit the water hard, her mind in a daze, shocked that she'd been fully immersed and was still sinking. Hastily she paddled to the surface and once her head broke through she took in huge gasps of air. Not wanting to linger, she swam for shore and pulled herself out, backing quickly away from the edge in case she'd disturbed any carnivorous aqua-life.

She rested a moment, her body shivering from the shock of adrenaline it had aside her mask, she pulled out a red potion from her pack and drank enough to heal the torn tendons in her arm and to calm her nerves, quickly regaining control of herself.

She stood, shivering, this time from the cold, and threw off her cloak. She fluctuated her mana to warm herself. The water had been slimy and old, filled with questionable things that made her sick just thinking about. If she'd had an open wound on her she would have feared infection.

She reclined against the wall, stealing a moment of respite. She thought of Link and that soothed her. His courage was boundless, almost a match to his recklessness. If he could make it through something like this and keep on going without a hitch then so could she.

She pushed herself up and took a few deep breaths before relighting the area with a glowing orb in her hand.

The ground was wet and slimy, her boots sinking three inches into a layer of mud. The pool of water must have formed in a dip in the ground, separating one side of the tunnel from the other. She had no inclination of traversing the pool to the other side, so she determinedly started down the side of the tunnel that was open to her, keeping one hand fixed securely on the latch of her longshot as the other held up the light.

She was vigilant as she walked, constantly looking out for hidden spaces that could conceal the creature. This time she kept well aware of her footing and paused whenever she felt the need to scrutinize her surroundings more closely.

In the distance something did manage to catch her attention and Zelda continued warily forward.

_What in Hyrule…?_

There was a bluish glow shining not twenty feet from her, emitting from around the next bend. Cautiously she inched forward, dousing her light in case it proved to be something volatile.

She soon found that it came from some sort of fluorescent growth that had sprouted on the walls of the tunnel. Soon there were enough of these glowing plants that she no longer needed her light.

She extinguished her glowing orb, figuring this way she'd save some mana. The ever constant drain of her mana that she used to keep herself warm concerned her, but she was confident that at this rate she could last a few days at least.

The growths grew in clusters all along the walls and ceiling. She also noticed that this area was less muddy then where she'd initially entered the giant tunnel.

It was shortly after she entered the glowing field that she hit her first crossroads.

Another tunnel it seemed had cut right into this one, placing Zelda in a challenging predicament.

Zelda debated whether she should stay on her path or to choose a new direction to go. Rationality told her to stay her course, convincing her that if she'd continue on she'd definitely reach Lake Hylia eventually. But another part of her desired the change and acknowledged that she was feeling frustrated with her current path since she had yet to find anything substantial.

With newfound conviction, Zelda took out one of her daggers and slashed a mark on the wall. Getting lost would definitely do little to increase her morale. This way at least she'd be able to find her way back if she needed to.

She chose the direction with the most fluorescent growths. She wasn't quite ready to lose her light source yet.

That meant taking a turn to the left. The tunnels were becoming muskier, the air more stale. Her clothes were still wet and dripping while the muck from the pond dried on her skin, her face felt like it was being caked over with clay.

Once again she found herself longing for company. Dasril, Zellandus, almost anyone would do, but preferably another magic user. How did Link contend with all this? Perhaps it was the prospect of facing a boss monster alone, but for some reason she felt uncertain of herself. Nervous actually. She'd roamed across the vast fields of Hyrule, travelled through canyons, even going so far as to climbing down them at some points, scoured the vast wilderness that was the northern mountain range, traversed the Gerudo desert, but it was here down in this dank filthy cave where she felt the most of her consternation.

She bowed her head and shook off an oncoming headache. Adventuring was more of Link's forte. That was not to say that she disliked it, rather she loved the chance to explore her kingdom intimately in a way that previously she had been unable to, seeing how it had changed from her time eons past as Sheik. She was just not a natural at it like Link was, but then she'd always been more comfortable in the stable environment of her castle where she was in her element.

Eventually she ran into another crossroads. She paused in the middle. She'd been below ground for hours, she wasn't even certain it was still daylight outside. Surely she was requited a long rest. Adding to her ire, her stomach was clenching in hunger.

Resigned to obeying to her bodily needs, she settled into a small crag in the wall and withdrew some dried meat to sate her appetite.

She leaned back once she was done, too tired to get up. If she just slept for a moment she could replenish her energy. She didn't know how close she was to the beast, but common sense led her to believe that it would be somewhere nearer to Lake Hylia. Underground she could not tell how far she had to go, there was no sun or stars to guide her. She had nothing but her intuition, and she placed little faith in that. If she were to guess, she'd say that it would take her another full day of wandering the tunnels to reach the lake, assuming that she did not get lost in the meantime.

Slowly exhaustion pulled her into a light slumber.

* * *

><p>While Frayne loved her bodyguards to death, honestly she did, there were times when she considered making it literal.<p>

Lysander and Atris were young and hardened warriors, their fins had been tempered to slice flesh and dent stone, they were not afraid of challenging opponents of far greater size, their speed allowing them to quickly overwhelm them. Not even Queen Zora had such bodyguards to defend her, but then the Queen was quite self-sufficient and so had little need for them anyways.

It was just too bad for Frayne. It was enough to make her sick with self-pity. She could hardly go anywhere without one or both of them shadowing her like Sheikah.

She would opt to remain near Zellandus, his presence assuring discreetness as her bodyguards weren't technically permitted to listen in on any affairs regarding politics or the like, but as she soon found out the Prince wasn't so… he was just… it was easy to understand why she preferred not to.

She sat with crossed legs and arms at a white table in the Prince's private gardens, basking in the sun and waiting to be served her coffee. This would be one of the last bright days of the year and she determined to enjoy it before the rain and snow and cold set in. Ideally she would want to enjoy it alone, with no one near, her surroundings encompassed by peace and quite and solitude. Instead there were the murmurings of her guards talking accompanied by the slight shuffling of their feet and flapping of their fins. They were trying to be as unobtrusive as possible, however just knowing that they were there, behind her, irritated her. At times like these it was easy to miss her temple.

She barely restrained a sigh as Byron suddenly shot toward her from the castle, looking harried as ever.

This was something she didn't want to deal with before coffee.

Byron came to an abrupt stop before her, bending over and panting, sweat glistening on his skin both from the exertion and the heat. To Frayne's chagrin, Byron's seemingly uncharacteristic display alerted the two dunderheads whose job it was to _stop_ people from getting near her. Both Atris and Lysander came over as well.

"Deep breaths now," said Atris, handing over a canteen of water.

Byron took it gratefully and chugged it down all in one go.

Frayne leaned back in her chair, fingers tapping impatiently on the table's cool surface. Her eyes swiftly swept over the other Zora, figuring there must be something wrong. However Byron was easily flustered so that something could range from the Queen throwing a fit – occasionally developing into a legitimate threat to the state – to the domain freezing over… again. It happened so often she was vaguely surprised that they hadn't adapted.

She inclined her head back to stare up at him as he regained his breath and straightened. "I've been expecting you, Byron."

Whatever he'd been about to say was cut of as shock overcame his features. It quickly receded into deep respect as he bowed low. "Surely your limitless capacity of foresight never ceases to astound me."

Rather her natural expression of nonchalance made it easy for her to seem aware of these things and thusly to blatantly lie. They always attributed it to her station as a priestess.

"Yes, I dreamt of you greeting me at about this time," she fibbed coolly.

Byron shot up. "What would you have us do then, my Lady?"

Curious, Frayne narrowed her eyes a fraction. "Do?"

"Should we arrange a back up team to go in after them?"

She wasn't certain how to answer that due to the fact that she wasn't quite aware what they were talking about. "Is there a reason why I am the one you look to for orders now?" she prodded subtly, waiting for Byron to clue in that he needed to elaborate more.

"The Queen has left you in charge," explained Byron. "Whatever you deem fit we shall carry it out."

Now thoroughly confused, Frayne pushed up in her seat. "Hold a moment. Where is the Queen? What has she done?"

It was Byron's turn to appear confused. He blustered then collected himself and expanded. "She's gone with the retrieval squad to the cave."

Frayne's already narrowed eyes drew further into slits. She became stock still as she replied in a deathly cold voice. "She what?"

Realizing that she wasn't following, Byron swallowed thickly and shifted on his feet. "I assumed if you knew I was coming you must have seen what I was going to tell you..."

"I did not see that," she said somberly, standing up she strode out of the garden thinking all the while forlornly of her abandoned cup of coffee which she had yet to receive. She hoped somebody gave it a good place once they realized she was gone.

Had that evil she'd felt at Lake Hylia grown? Had it become so dangerous that the Queen thought she had to purge it herself?

There was no time to wait, she had to see Link and Zellandus. The three male Zoras were in hot pursuit as she threw open the castle doors and glided down the corridors.

Frayne led the way, muttering under her breath. "The Queen exploring _caves_, of all things." She always had said the Queen was too impulsive for her own good – and for the good of the Domain. She cast a glance at her guards. "Is it that same cavern from before? The tidal cave, something or another?"

"The flood cavern, my Lady," said Atris. A look of alarm crossed his features. "You're not thinking of going there yourself are you?"

Hearing this, Byron became near rampant. "My Lady, I must digress! Such places are unsuitable to someone of your station!"

"Calm, you lummox," said Frayne, apoplectic. "I will do no such thing."

Byron breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank Nayru."

Frayne was slightly irked by the reaction he gave at the thought of her entering the cave. He hadn't been half as concerned for Queen Zora, whose station was the most important of the Zoras and whose safety should be the primary concern. Something dangerous lurked in that cave. She had sensed it. If the Queen should happen to die then she'd be leaving her people without direction, for although she was impulsive in nature and flighty at times, Queen Helerra knew how to rule and was well learned in politics and economics. She didn't even have an heir for them to fall back on. They'd have to use some base democratic way of selecting the next ruler.

Whoever had let her go into the cave was indeed foolish. She'd seen them punished dearly.

It was to her fortune that as she turned down the next corridor she saw Link and some Hylian woman walking her way. They were both smiling and sickeningly cheerful. It gave her a headache.

Her headache only worsened at Link's brightened countenance upon seeing her. In her literary archives, bright and happy equated to energetic and annoying. Nothing good ever came out of the combination.

"Frayne! Whereabouts are you headed?" said Link exuberantly. "Perhaps Amy and I might join you."

And further deprive her of her desired solitude? She thought not. The woman would have to leave, but Link was, unfortunately, needed.

She stopped and looked around. "Where is his highness? I would expect you to accompany him given that you are his bodyguard."

"He hardly needs me for protection, the Sheikah are always there to look after him." Link's smile never faded as he answered her. Ever since she'd confirmed the existence of a Zelda he'd been untolerably happy. Even knowing that the circumstances of Zelda's disappearance were troubling he was confident that providence meant them to reunite sooner or later.

Sometimes it was easy to be envious. Her bodyguards were visible, tangible and loud. Prince Zellandus' primary bodyguards, however, were mere shadows and only made themselves known when there was danger. The Sheikah were unimposing and discreet. That was something she could get used to.

She glanced at the two male Zoras on either side of her. If only she could trade them in for Sheikah. Perhaps the Prince would lease them to her.

"Come, hero," said Frayne walking past him. "We must locate his highness and Lady Brula. It is an urgent matter that we must attend to."

Just like that Link's smile dwindled until the set of his mouth formed a straight-lipped frown.

"Hero?" asked Amy, turning to him. "What does she mean by that?"

Link hastily shook his head. "Nothing. A joke of sorts," he muttered then hurried after Frayne, leaving Amy staring bemused after him. Hands on hips, she rolled her eyes and started down the corridor in the opposite direction.

They found Zellandus studying in the solarium under Lady Brula's tutelage. He was more than thankful for the interruption as the Zoras and hero burst into the room and stood on their arrival, tossing his texts haphazardly on the table.

"Link, my bon ami! I knew you'd not leave me to suffer alone! You've come to study with me have you. And you said that you were already learned in the important subjects," he exclaimed with arms spread wide in welcome.

It was Brula who picked up on the unease among the Zoras, her face becoming grim. Less than a week at the castle and Frayne had already picked up that the old Sheikah was a natural pessimist. She was a flesh bag of moodiness and sourness just waiting to be unleashed at the slightest hint of bad news.

"Don't tell me that these looks your sporting are the result of an act of foolhardiness by your Queen," said Brula, taking in the male Zoras' fidgeting, Link's sullen confusion and Frayne's overall dispassionate stare.

An hour later they were all seated around the table, having been relieved of texts and scrolls. Brula was stern as ever as she sat in her elevated chair – it was the only way she'd be able to see over the table. Zellandus reclined in his seat, his arms and legs crossed and peering up at her through unnerved eyes. Link sat forward, back tensed and features firm as he listened as Byron explained the situation.

Frayne felt confined between Atris and Lysander and they stood behind her chair on either side of her. Given that it was a problem that directly concerned the Zora she had felt compelled to include them in this matter. Just this once.

A silence descended on them as Byron finished.

Zellandus was the first to speak up. "Sooooo, what's the problem? Your people went off on some escapade inside a cave and weren't in time for supper at the end of the day and you believe this is worrisome?" He snorted and crossed his arms behind his head, leaning back. "Please. They're probably having a cookout. Nothing to worry about."

"This is more than an overnight excursion," said Frayne smoothly. "Your ears require tuning, or did you not catch Byron mention that over thirty Zoras have gone missing. And now our distinguished Queen Zora has left to personally deal with the issue."

"Well then _someone_ is already doing something about it," said Zellandus, unconcerned. "If that Queen of yours has a handle on things then I don't see what you want me to do about-"

Zellandus was promptly silenced with a quick smack of the cane. "Idiot Prince," hissed Brula. "This is no time to express your mental deficiency."

The Prince looked at her scornfully, rubbing his bruised leg. "Aaaaaand, as I was about to say before you so _rudely_ interrupted, this would be a task better suited for Link, don't you think?"

"I was just about to suggest the same thing," said Link, determinedly.

"Not on your own," said Brula. "And we won't be needing a secret squadron this time. There'll be no infiltration or espionage for this rescue, you'll be sent with the soldiers."

Frayne had never realized how much planning went into traveling and missions. At Zoras Domain they immediately took to action and left at once without any regards to what they'd be doing along the way. It appeared that Link as well felt frustrated at the whole waiting and planning. He continuously glanced at the door and outside, watching the setting sun.

Brula went on discussing what things needed to be arranged, how many soldiers to send, and what equipment they might need.

"Have a squad sent out to warn the villages and inhabitants around the area and send your soldiers to Lake Hylia to provide assistance," Link interrupted Brula impatiently. "In the meantime, myself and a couple others will hurry to the lake to provide immediate support."

Brula observed his determined expression and sturdy countenance. "Very well."

"I shall accompany you hero," said Frayne, surprising her bodyguards and practically sending Byron into fits of shock. "This matter has been most perplexing. I feel as if I should be nearby in case magic of a spiritual nature is required," she said completely contrary to what she had vowed earlier about not going. Some latent rebelliousness on her part, perhaps.

"Lady Frayne, I must object," said Byron.

"You said the Queen has left me in charge? Then pretend that I am the Queen and do not refute me."

Glumly he nodded and backed away, sharing wary looks with Atris and Lysander.

There was a frantic knocking on the door before a guard burst in.

Atris and Lysander swiveled around, facing the door with fins raised. Frayne would have rolled her eyes if it were not so unbecoming.

The guard didn't bat an eye at the odd assortment of beings seated around the table. Instead he set his sights to Brula and spoke hastily. "Lady Brula, you must come at once. There an emergency down by the east wall!"

Frayne took in the guard's expression and manner and felt her heart sinking. To her, he smelled of death.

* * *

><p>Zelda awoke when water seeped into her mouth. She shot up and coughed, clearing her lungs then blearily looked around, eyes widening in shock.<p>

The cavern had flooded, a layer of cold water covered the floor up to her knees. If she had not been magically maintaining the heat that ran through her body she would have frozen to death in her sleep. The fronds of the fluorescent plants waved beneath the flow as more and more seeped in, slowly raising the level.

A roar sounded from somewhere far along the tunnel causing the ground to vibrate. The water rippled and Zelda nearly lost her balance as she tried to stay upright.

When she felt that the ground had stabilized Zelda turned toward the tunnel from which the roaring had originated.

She felt an inkling of trepidation spike through her. Whatever had made that noise, it was huge, and it was the very creature she was looking for. She had to draw from Link's courage to force her feet in that direction, feeling uncomfortable as she waded through the frigid water. She heated up the warmth supplying her body, nearly doubling the rate of her mana depletion. Stopping the mana flow through her blood for one second would instantly render her legs numb. She had to be careful about how much she used, she only had one bottle of blue potion with her.

The further down the tunnel she went the more it branched off into different tunnels, creating an underground labyrinth. She thought of it like a giant anthill. The fluorescent plants grew more sparsely until there was a patch of darkness for each interval between plants.

She froze as the cavern began to gurgle. All at once the water level dropped dramatically, leaving the tunnel with only puddles and visible land. Zelda was grateful for this, but also disturbed. What could have caused this to happen? And was the water coming from Lake Hylia or some other source?

The tunnel system became more complex as the path she'd been following cut off in two directions, no longer a straight line. She chose one way and headed down into the darkness, her eyes barely making out the features of the cave, one hand trailing the wall at all times. The cavern by now was littered with her markings on the walls. If not for those she'd be completely lost.

Her boots squelched in mud, echoing with every step. Soon the squelching got louder and she stopped a second before the squelching did.

She started again, hand tightening over the handle of her ninjato as she brought the other one up and discreetly started gathering power to it.

In a quick movement she spun around lighting up the area behind her and at the same moment withdrawing her sword.

Her light reflected off of two massive black orbs and Zelda felt the breath leave her body as she encountered a face that filled up the entirety of the tunnel.

Seeing the thing smile widely, Zelda cried out and poured more power into her light, blasting it out and blinding the area.

The creature screeched and she turned and ran.

* * *

><p>Outwardly Frayne appeared only mildly interested at the sight of her dead kin floating facedown in the moat and being reeled in by a pole with a hook. Inwardly was another matter. She was stewing with rage both at whatever had done this and the Hylians for not acting sooner. Even now they were in deep discussion gathered at the south end of the west wall, the area barricaded from curious onlookers.<p>

The postman, on his way to Castle Town, had seen something bobbing in the moat and upon closer scrutiny had found it to be the upper half of the body of a Zora. The abdomen had been shredded and everything below was gone. He'd immediately gone to the gate soldiers in a panic and they had enough sense to hush him up and make sure no one else learned of it.

The soldiers reached down as the body was pulled close to shore, and grabbed hold of the arms, easily lifting the dead Zora up.

"Easy," said one of the soldiers. "There's a deep gash on the elbow. Make sure his forearm doesn't fall off."

Frayne thought it good that Byron was too busy hurling his breakfast over by the nearest bush, as those words would have caused him to outright faint. Both Atris and Lysander were battle hardened. They'd seen their share of blood and gore, even if it was only against the odd bari, shell blades, or skullfish. Most of these soldiers have seen death to and even though they carried on with their task objectively, one could never really get used to the sights and smells of death, especially when it was done in a most brutal way.

The soldiers carefully laid him down face up on the shore and backed away as Frayne knelt next to him.

She took in the Zoras ashen toned flesh and glazed blank staring eyes. She put her hands on his torso and pressed down, noting the bloated squishiness of his flesh, indicating that he'd been dead for a few days and had started to decompose. She then observed the torn region of his abdomen, placing a hand in the cavity and finding that many of his organs were gone, having fallen out or been dragged out when he was shredded. The gash on his arm was bright pink, the blood having been washed out. It was evident though that the source of the injury on his arm was not the same as whatever tore him apart. It looked to have been delivered before. It was evident that fish had been nibbling on his lips. If he'd been Hylian his eyes would have also contained signs of being devoured, but Zoras had a glass-like surface over their eyes that aided them in seeing underwater and that protected them from being plucked and eaten or for protruding out of their sockets.

"Connor…" Atris voiced shallowly.

Frayne peered up at him from the corner of her eye then went back to work, looking over the body. She vaguely remembered this Zora as a harpooner in the royal army.

"He was bitten in half and pulled apart. Perhaps by some means like a dog shaking the body of a rat in its mouth," said Frayne, the men and women around her instantly growing pale. At times she could be crudely blunt.

Atris came and knelt down beside her. Frayne got up and respectfully backed away, letting Atris come to terms with his friend's death. She was not too surprised to see Lysander also get down by Connor, they would have all been comrades learning to fight, it was hard to see one of your own had died.

Byron was still over by the bush hovering over his excrements and gulping in huge breaths. Frayne turned to observe the Hylians. Link stood, face set in a hard scowl, near Zellandus, looking over the scene, while the Prince looked faint and was covering his nose with two kerchiefs at once. Brula was in deep discussion with Lady Delmont and Lord DeSange, the ministers of judicial affairs and intelligence.

"Why is it taking so long for them to do something," said Zellandus, voice muffled and nasally. "Old Brula wasn't nearly so hesitant when it came to that arse Duke's rescue."

Link's eyes flickered as his ear twitched. "Can't you hear them? They are in disagreement about something. No doubt about whether to interfere while Queen Zora is taking care of things. With the Duke the Labrynnians had come to us to take care of the issue. We've not received a request for aid from the Zoras and so can do little but wait. It is their problem and if they want to deal with it themselves then we can do nothing to help." Link snorted as if in disagreement with it.

Zellandus frowned, his eyes worrisome as he thoroughly regretted his hasty dismissal of the problem. Sometimes he was too flippant for his own good, but he sought to rectify that now. "Yes, and by the time they bloody well look over their pride and ask for help it may be too late. More might turn up like this poor fellow here. Why, he must have come from some underground waterway. There's no other way he could have come this far without being detected by another Zora. A live one that is, no offense Frayne," he said upon noticing her there.

"That is why we three must leave at once," said Frayne.

Zellandus blinked and looked at her. "We? _Three_?"

The priestess gazed up at him blankly. "You, the hero, and I. That is the party which should set out."

"Surely it is better if we await Brula's orders."

"Were you not saying how we were making no progress dallying here? Should we not then take advantage of this distraction to discreetly slip away?"

"But-"

_**I never knew you for a coward, your highness. Heed the priestess' word. If she say's it must be you and the hero who goes then both of you must go.**_

"So, you're siding with her, Carus. But then your people always did take religious premonitions so seriously," said Zellandus.

Beside him, Link cracked his neck, lacing his hands together and stretching them out. He sent the Prince a willful smile. "Well, if the priestess say's we should go, then what's holding you back? Didn't you want for adventure like this?"

Zellandus looked taken aback. "No, no I never gave any indication of the sort." A thoughtful look fell over his face. "However, now that you mention it, Brula will be devastatingly mad to find me gone. And Commander Deb is likely to send the troops after me at once… I'll go saddle the horses then, shall I."

The soldiers did not bother them as the three snuck away, figuring that they'd have enough of the gruesome sight. Brula and the others were still arguing, and Lysander and Atris were now reciting a Zoran prayer for safe passage for the dead. An hour later three riders departed from Castle Town through the southern gate, heading southwest.

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><p><strong>AN: Ew, dead bodies. I have a relative who works at the morgue, of all places! And he's described some pretty nasty stuff to me. Hope it's accurate enough.**

**Spelunking is a nifty term that means to explore caves ^^. I've only gone spelunking once in my life and even though it was cool I'm in no hurry to do it again.**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Mistake fixed! Changed Stalagmite to stalactite. Thanks Lilac Gemani!**

**As usual, thank you everybody who reviewed: Kriss, Bloodspire, ObscurityProject, Schniedragon88, PianoPlayer1200, Crankymcgranky, tetraforce theory, Ancient . tree, Death Waltz, NamelessReader31, cookiebee, PrincessPeach, Astercia, Lilac Gemani, and Kelly! **

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 17<span>**

There was no way to avoid the beast, its head took up the entirety of the tunnel, its monstrous girth having sculpted out the multiple tunnels that ran beneath the ground. Its scales were a dull grey brown, its face was almost flat but for a protruding snout whereupon its mouth split apart revealing four rows of needle-like teeth as long as a man's arm. Just the way that it flashed those teeth its mouth seemed to be drawn into a wide eerie smile, the mere sight sending shivers down Zelda's spine.

Zelda kicked off the wall and dashed at it, sword drawn, with full intention of wiping that maddening grin off its face. She ran and leapt, landing on the point of its snout and slashing her sword across its eyes. She released a myriad of attacks, but to her chagrin each cut merely slid off harmlessly with an echoing clang. In a last assault she stabbed her ninjato straight at the beasts head only for her sword to come to a dead stop as it pressed into the hide but would go no further.

She jumped off, somersaulting backwards and alighting in a crouch. She took a step back and watched the beast with penetrating eyes. Neither the membrane of the eyes nor its scaled hide had been broken. She hadn't even left a scratch. Eyes were usually a weak spot, why couldn't she sever the membrane to the jelly inside? Unless… they were like the eyes of a moldorm, with a glass-like surface over the vulnerable parts beneath used to protect them from the sand.

The beast growled a pleased sound then opened its mouth wide. Zelda was given sight to a thick pink tongue and the full extent of its four rows of teeth. The tongue swelled then darted out thinning as it lengthened. Zelda's eyes widened and it was only by quick reflex that she dodged the tongue before it could touch her.

She continued to dodge as the tongue came at her again and again, ever moving slowly backwards. Finally she jumped to the side, twirled and stabbed the tongue as it was about to retract.

The creature roared in pain, crying louder as its tongue automatically sprung back and the sword dragged a trail to its tip.

Zelda was sprayed with blood and quickly backed up as the beast thrashed. With its limited movement its head hit the walls, causing a tremor to go through the tunnel. Zelda heard a sound like a gurgle and felt something cold at her feet. The water was rising, in seconds it was up to her ankles.

Suddenly the shaking stopped. The creature was looking at her but this time it did not adorn the wide freakish smile that it had worn since she saw it. The corners of its mouth were drawn down and it seemed to be glaring at her. It barred its teeth and charged.

It roared and Zelda thrust her hands out, closed her eyes, and filled them with magic. The light that burst forth was so tremendous she was momentarily blinded along with the creature. The creature screeched and thrashed about.

With an arm thrown over her eyes, Zelda blindly ran down the tunnel, feet sloshing in the water. From behind her the creature continued to screech, its life of near constant darkness only enhancing its sensitivity to the light and because of Zelda's light beam it was in agony. She wouldn't be surprised if the thing ended up blind after this.

Zelda quickly recovered her sight and was soon able to see normally. She dashed down a side tunnel and took a few more turns until she was certain she'd lost the thing. By now the creature was no longer screeching and she suspected it was on the hunt. The walls vibrated with the monster's motions as it moved at a fast pace.

The cavern stank of fish water and mud. She reached a dry area thankfully above the water level and there she paused.

Link had said that a boss monster always had a weak spot, she was sure that for this one it was its tongue, no other area had been penetrable. She just had to get close enough for it to try to grab her with its tongue again and she'd attack it and eventually it will bleed out and die. Blood was always pumping through that particular muscly appendage.

Easy and simple, she could do this, it wasn't like she hadn't killed massive monsters before. Although, none of them had been a boss monster, and for those she'd always been with Link.

She sighed and brushed a wet strand of hair out of her face. Had she always been this reliant on Link that she worried about taking on a simple beast by herself? Had she really been so dependent on his support that she could only do the simplest of things without having his hand to hold onto?

As Sheik it had always been about sneaking around, foiling Ganondorf's plans by messing them up, and gathering information that would be useful for when the hero awoke from his slumber. Presently she did much the same thing; sneaking around, gathering information, searching for Ganondorf, occasionally killing the various monsters she encountered – nothing too powerful, mind.

Angrily she shook her head. Why was she so concerned with this? She had untold magic. She'd fought death duels with other sorcerer's before and had always prevailed. In the war against Briant she'd taken out thousands of his men as if they were nothing. It shouldn't matter to her that what she was facing now was any different a monster than what Briant had been.

But it was. She knew men and women, she knew how they thought, how they rationalized things, she could discover their mindset and how they worked, could always tell which people deserved death and which were redeemable. She had studied magic for ages, she knew of weaknesses and strengths, what was possible and what was not. The same with human bodies, she knew where to strike that would elicit the most pain, how to disable an opponent with minimal effort, how to kill instantly or how to draw it out. She could unravel that sort of opponent, thereby defeating them. Even moblins and other sorts of monsters had a reliable nature, easy to figure out.

Beasts, however were a different matter. They reminded her of Link. They were instinctual for the most part, and therefore unpredictable.

She dug into her pack, hand feeling the items within.

She shouldn't have to dissect this thing's thinking process, she just had to locate it and get it to somehow bare its tongue.

Jerking out the first bottle she found she peered at it closely and saw that it contained the blue potion with which to restore her mana. She unstoppered the bottle and drank the entire thing, feeling renewed vigor as her mana bloomed to full. She halted the magical process with which she used to warm herself. Movement would keep her blood flowing and help her stay warm, from this moment on she had to save her mana for use against the creature.

Its roar carried down the cave and Zelda bit her bottom lip. It wasn't a matter of what she could or couldn't do, it was all about taking charge and doing it anyways.

The tide by now was rising and falling sporadically, whether it was actually controlled by the creature or not she couldn't tell. Zelda walked toward the water and strode in, the rippling waves lapping midcalf. It wouldn't be easy to run in, that was certain.

She kept her ninjato out as she cautiously started forward down the tunnel, already missing her warming magic.

As she roamed Zelda's ears perked at the remotest sound, listening for any signs of the creature. She checked over her shoulder consistently, determined not to let the creature sneak up on her again, but perhaps it would be to her benefit if it did. After all, she needed its face to attack its tongue. Although now that she thought about it, it could have other susceptible parts on its side or back. Areas that were covered by the walls and that wouldn't grant her access.

She rounded a bend and abruptly came face to face with a massive black eye. Zelda jumped backwards in shock. The creature had its profile to her, having been making its way down another tunnel, it was over halfway past the entrance to the tunnel Zelda was in and so couldn't angle its head to face her. Instead it screeched madly and shot its tongue out the side of its mouth.

Zelda found her chance and rushed forward, ninjato raised. As soon as the creature caught sight of the sword, however, it quickly retracted its tongue and slithered past.

Seeing it flee, Zelda took advantage and attempted to stab her ninjato into its sides, looking for weak spots. Its scales bore splotches of mud and blue fluorescence from the glowing plants. It passed, twenty feet, thirty feet, over forty feet long!

_By the Goddesses, it's enormous!_

How was she ever to defeat such a creature?

Finally the pointed tip of the tail slipped by and Zelda stepped into the tunnel behind to chase after it. She took out her longshot, meaning to latch onto the end and follow it that way, but suddenly she was gripped at the arm and pulled back. Instead of stumbling, she swung her leg around to land a kick at her assailant. She then twisted her arm, escaping the grip and spun around grabbing the stranger's arms and lodging them behind their back.

The assailant's arms slipped like water out of her hold and they twirled, thrusting something sharp against Zelda's chest.

Zelda stilled, not from fear, but from momentary shock as the glow of the tunnel's plant life illuminated her assailant's face.

Queen Helerra growled and pressed the sharp edge of her fin harder. "I'd start begging for mercy if I were you, because no one lets their pets loose on my Zoras and gets away with it."

As if her day couldn't get any worse…

* * *

><p>They reached Heron Falls by nightfall. On foot it was a two-day walk from Castle Town to his home village. On horseback it took them less than half that time. Link again silently reminded himself to get a horse when he had a chance to.<p>

They dismounted at the archway that served as the village entrance and looked around.

Zellandus was first to notice the lack of people. "Well," said Zellandus, taking in the rows of houses; roofs thatched, not shingled, and most of them constructed of wood, not brick and stone. "At first glance I'd say this place was abandoned." He looked over at Link. "It is only at first glance, right? It _is_ normally quiet at this time?"

Link courteously helped Frayne down from her horse. "Early to bed, early to rise. Awake from sunup to sundown," said Link, glancing over the houses himself. "Although since it has been getting dark earlier, most people are in their homes by the fire, or at the pub."

The Prince nodded. "How quaint. A pub…" He led his horse by the reins further into the village. He appeared both fascinated and appalled by the village. Of course he would. It was nothing compared to Castle Town. It must look positively barbaric to him. "Are there no soldiers stationed here? Where is your village's protection?"

Link frowned at that. "Our village is small and remote, we don't get very many monsters around here, and the Augurer has never come this far East, so there's never been any real concern."

"But now with this beast on the prowl it will be imperative to establish some form of protection for this place," said Frayne to Zellandus.

"I shall write to Brula about it," said Zellandus. "Or leave a note to order some of the soldiers she'll send after me to stay behind. By now she must know that I am gone. A pity, I would have loved to see her reaction to that news. Tell me, how mad do you think she is Carus? Does berserk cover it?"

_**Ballistic, I'd say.**_

Link raised an eyebrow. "And the other Sheikah don't mind?"

_**My brethren do not hold as much confidence as they should in my ability to protect his highness. **_

Zellandus chuckled. "Which means no doubt they'll be as mad as Brula. But let's not think of that. I'm more interested in a fine supper and lodgings for the night. Don't worry, Link my friend. I don't mind sleeping with the cuccos and pigs. Actually, a room in the stables sounds quite pleasant, I like horses better than most animals. And as long as the floor is soft I do not mind sleeping on it."

At this Link rolled his eyes. "Our village isn't _that_ poor. Our animals are kept in the barn. And we _do_ have beds, if you'd prefer."

Zellandus breathed out an exaggerated sigh of relief. "Oh, thank goodness. And here I was taking pains not to offend your humble background. A bed sounds divine!"

Link chuckled as he led them down the street, intending to go to Roark's. He knew Roark wouldn't cast them out. He'd welcome Link's return with a beaming smile and maybe a disciplinary punch on the shoulder just for the hell of it. Link smiled. He could imagine his hoary voice saying _'I always knew you'd come crawling back. Couldn't make it out in the big world could you? And don't be disappointed to know you've been replaced. I said that I would, didn't I? That's what you get for leaving the forge.'_

And then Roark would ladle them with a heaping plate of dinner, serve them tea and insist Link share the wonders of his journey with him. They only had two bedrooms at his house, but Link was certain that somehow Roark would make room for them all. But if he did take on another apprentice Link might have to insist to stay at the inn. He didn't want to impose.

Link had them hitch the horses at the barnyard and then leave for his foster father's house. He'd take proper care of the horses later.

He knocked on the door and waited. No matter that he'd lived there all his life – since his childhood at least – it felt improper to just barge in. He imagined Roark to be on his rocking chair by the fire, smoking a pipe and reminiscing about the good old days when he was younger.

Sure enough when Roark opened the door he had a pipe in his hand, and from beyond the threshold the glow of the hearth could be seen. Roark, caught unawares, simply stared at Link before his mouth stretched to a beaming smile. "Link, my boy! You've come home!"  
>Home. It was still his home. Roark had proclaimed it. Link felt warmer inside than he had ever since that morning of his birthday.<p>

"You didn't think that I would visit at least once in a while," said Link with a boyish grin. "Now are you just going to stand there or let us in?"

Roark's smile instantly vanished as if suddenly realizing he was being too friendly. "Cocky little hellion, as usual. What makes you think that I'd allow you to step foot into my house? You haven't written to me at all since you set out. I haven't heard from you in months. Only after Vrel and Adra…er…"

He cut off suddenly and the mock serious in his eyes that Link had been enjoying, turned dead serious.

Link's smile slowly waned. "What's wrong? Have Vrel and Adra returned? I did not know they'd left Castle Town."

Roark looked past him at Frayne and Zellandus, before looking again at Link. "Come inside. And bring your companions too. No sense talking while our bodies freeze up."

Link stood there for a moment, face taught and serious as he pondered over Roark's sudden change in demeanor.

Zellandus grasped his shoulder. "Seems a decent fellow," he said, nodding towards Roark's back as he went to stoke the fire. "I don't see the resemblance though. You must get your charming looks from your mother. There's nothing of your father in you, I must say. He must be disappointed in that, but I assume it is a blessing, eh? Rough and rugged wouldn't suit you."

The hero followed inside. "He's not my father. He's just the man who looked after me."

Soon they were all seated around the hearth, with Frayne as far away from the fire as she could get. With the dry air and the heat her skin was drying up too fast. The presence of a Zora surprised Roark, and he quickly offered her an entire jug of cool water, to which she thankfully accepted. If he was surprised with Link's other companion he didn't show it. Link found it curious that he wouldn't recognize Hyrule's Prince, as all of Hyrule was made to memorize the faces of their royalty. Or what's more likely is he did recognize him but for the sake of Zellandus' comfort, did not make a big deal about it.

He was proven the latter as Roark bowed slightly while offering Zellandus a bowl of reheated broth and addressed him as 'your highness.'

When Roark at last sat down smoking his pipe, Link paused in eating his food and leaned ever so slightly forward. "What did you mean about Vrel and Adra? Are they here? I thought they were still doing well in Castle Town. Adra had meant to go to Kakariko afterwards."

Roark frowned and shook his head, sighing. "They were here alright. Came for a visit, the same as you. They did not mean to stay long."

The old man's eyes drifted uneasily over to Zellandus and Frayne, who were both listening attentively even though they didn't show it, pretending their focus was intent on their broths. Link was more interested in hearing what Roark had to say than being concerned of what Roark thought about strangers listening in on village business.

"Then did they go back to Castle Town or are they still here?" said Link, wondering of all things what's gotten Roark so wary today. "Perhaps we could drop by."

It took only the slightest shift of Roark's eyes for Link to become alarmed. Roark was usually a direct person. When he had something to say, he'd say it. Never did he dance around a subject or avoid a person's eyes when he spoke.

Link's eyes narrowed and his grip on his spoon tensed. "What happened?"

Roark sighed, drawing a huge puff from his pipe then spilling it out of his mouth in great smoky plumes. "Always badgering and bossing your elders around. Everyone were all of good cheer when they came. We all made for the pub and they told us of how they've been doing. And they spoke of you, and how you've made it as bodyguard to his highness." He cast a glance at Zellandus, apparently wondering if Link didn't get any time off if the only way to visit his village was for the Prince to tag along.

"We drank we cheered, and for some reason during all of that Vrel wanders off. The next thing we know Adra has wandered of as well. Later there's a blast from the banks of the lake. Todd gets there first, as his house was closest and he was just about done getting his kids to bed. When he gets there there's just Adra, lying slumped on the ground, unconscious and bleeding badly."

Roark indulged in another long puff off his pipe, his shoulders tensed and neck strained. He didn't relax even as he lets the smoke of the tabac engulf him.

Link, however, looked as if he could use a draught as well. His eyes flamed beneath his fringe and he felt the form of quiet Laval shift uneasily in his shadow.

"Where is she? What happened to Adra?"

His foster father occupied himself by stoking the fire. "Vrel was gone by the time Todd got there, but Adra… Her body was full of burns, one big one in the shape of a circle covered her left collarbone. It was the work of magic, an attempted murder. They'd been attacked, and whoever attacked them took Vrel with them."

Link blinked the sudden anguish from his eyes. "Attempted? You mean Adra survived?"

Roark nodded hesitantly. "She yet lives. Lil's been working hard night and day to remove her scars, only the worst of them are still there. Had to use the last batch of her red potion to heal her too."

"Does anyone know who did it?"

Roark scowled. "None of us saw anything. A bunch of the men have taken to searching the woods around the lake and patrol the area every night, but they can't find any trace of the wizard."

"I want to see her."

Roark looked up. "At this time of night?"

"Yes, I won't have time in the morning," said Link.

"So you'll be leaving right away then?" said Roark, a bit sadly. He then stood up. "I suppose we can see if she's willing to take visitors. Her parents are a frantic mess though. Best to avoid them."

Link shot a look at Zellandus and Frayne. He didn't exactly want them to come along, but Frayne as a priestess could be handy if Adra required further healing, and Zellandus couldn't be left to his own devices for long.

"Come on," he said lowly, before striding after Roark.

"Come on, he say's," Zellandus muttered indignantly. "Somehow thinks he's Prince all of the sudden." However Zellandus followed silently after them, subdued slightly by the situation.

It was Adra's father who answered the door and he seemed relieved to see them, or Roark, rather. After seeing Link though his expression fell.

"And where were you when my daughter was attacked?" he said snidely. "Having tea with the Prince? Trouncing around in fancy clothing while Adra fought for her life?!"

Link frowned but did not defend himself. It was very likely that he had been having tea with Zellandus during that time. If he'd been better connected with Vrel and Adra he might have gone with them, he might have been able to protect them. Or things would have still gone poorly.

"Just let me see Adra," he said lowly.

Before her father could resume his accusations, Roark pulled him aside and indicated for Link to go in. Link left Roark to deal with the man and entered the house with Zellandus and Frayne behind him, both silent.

He politely knocked on Adra's bedroom door and opened it after he heard a soft 'come in'.

Adra smiled and sat up upon seeing him.

"Oh, hi Link!"

Link blinked. This was a much cheerier greeting than what her father had given him a few seconds ago. Actually, she appeared unnaturally cheery, as if being attacked and almost dying hadn't fazed her in the least. She didn't even appear surprised to see him.

She motioned him over and gingerly he sat on her bedside. She swung her legs over to sit next to him.

Quickly his eyes scanned the visible parts of her skin not covered by her nightshirt and pants. There were some angry red marks peeking out from her shoulders, and arms, and along the sides of her cheeks, but nothing too troubling. What bothered Link most was a thick patching of cloth over the left clavicle. He could imagine what unsightly mark would lie beneath that and instantly felt bad for her.

She either didn't notice his scrutiny or chose to ignore it in favor of looking at the figures hovering in the threshold. "Oh no! You brought the Prince!"

Link tensed. "Adra, I-"

"Link, this is mortifying! How can you allow the Prince to see me like this? I'm in my nightclothes!"

"I assure you, your decency has been preserved," said Zellandus, pointedly looking away. "I've had my eyes averted this entire time. I have seen nothing."

Frayne cocked her head, perplexed. "So it is appropriate for Link to see the girl unsuitably dressed, but not for you?"

Adra snapped her head up. "It's different."

"Oh yes, certainly," said Frayne blasé , as she approached Adra whose eyes suddenly widened.

"You're a Zora!"

"How astute of you," said Frayne, not bothering to correct that she was only half Zora.

"It's just that you looked like a Hylian at first," said Adra curiously. "But you were back there in the shadows so I couldn't be sure."

Frayne paused for a moment then bent down to eye level with Adra. "I would ask permission to unclothe you."

Adra's eyes weren't the only to bulge at that question. Zellandus outright yelped and covered his eyes as Link gaped and blustered. Frayne eyed them inquisitively and Link quickly composed himself.

"Lady Frayne, I'm afraid that would be highly inappropriate given the present company," he said sternly.

Frayne didn't seem too concerned about it. "Then leave, you both are not needed. If I am to heal this girl I shall have to be able to see her injuries."

Of all Zoras he thought this one at least might be decent and not have the same gutter mind that Byron and that escort had. But then again Zoras didn't often wear clothes so maybe it didn't seem as rude and vulgar to her as it did to them. But she was half Hylian, so she should know about what was proper among Hylians and what was not.

He had to at least calm Adra, who looked frightened and on the brink of hysteria.

"This is Lady Frayne, a Zoran priestess," he said softly to her. "She might be able to help eliminate the rest of those scars for you."

At his words, Adra relaxed but then shook her head. "Actually, I would prefer to keep them. They're proof that I survived a sorcerer's magic. And they don't look that bad, if I do say so myself."

Link peered at her quizzically. "If you're sure then." But then his eyes slid over the padding of fabric over her breast. "What about that one?"

"Just a big scab. It's much smaller than it used to be. Lilly said one more bottle of red potion should finish it off," said Adra, reclining against the wall.

Link's eyes brightened as he quickly fetched a bottle from his pouch and pulled it out. "Red potion anyone?"

"Link I couldn't! Besides, Lilly is busy making some for me, I wouldn't want her to go through all that work for nothing," said Adra.

"It's not like it'll go to waste. There'll always be people who need it. Now drink," he ordered and shoved the bottle in her face.

Adra smiled and took it then threw it back, drinking deeply. She shuddered when she finished, the taste of mushrooms leaving a bad tang in her mouth. Link smiled. He knew Adra hated mushrooms.

She smiled up at him. "Back to full health."

It was heartening to see her patched up. All she needed now was a good night's sleep to remove the weariness from her eyes, but Link was afraid he couldn't let her rest quite yet.

"Adra," he started, tone serious. "What exactly happened? Can you give me a description of the wizard who attacked you? Was he wearing black armor?"

Zellandus sighed despairingly. "Link, it doesn't always have to be the Augurer."

"But it does not rule out the fact that it might have been him," shot Link, frowning.

"But then he took that Vrel chap, right? What in Hyrule would someone like him want with your friend?" said Zellandus, staring out the window.

Link glared at the floor. "He knows me. He could have taken Vrel as hostage, and then hurt Adra to damage me emotionally. It must be him!"

"Fiery blessed Din and her all aflamed beauty! Brula is right, you are obsessed with him!" shot Zellandus, who was finding it difficult to argue with Link while keeping the direction of his gaze away from Adra.

Adra simply stared at them, more confused than ever and slightly nervous. Frayne just watched, unconcerned and indifferently.

Link gnashed his teeth and jut his jaw. "I am _not_ obsessed with him. Clearly I am the only one who can see him for the danger that he is. None of you had to…" he stopped himself, considered Adra in the room, and reorganized what he had been going to say. "No one knows what he is capable of more than I. You can't underestimate him. And I know that if there is evil around he is in the thick of it. He or one of his lowlife cronies! If he does remember the past then he'll do anything to destroy me before I can destroy him."

"So he simply let you go in the fortress because he wasn't in the mood or something to kill you and end you for good before you could get stronger?" pressed Zellandus, raising an eyebrow.

It confused him too. Why had Ganondorf fled when they were faced off in the fortress? Was it possible that his memories hadn't come to him yet? That must be it. He must have thought of Link as a measly little pest who could do no harm. He would later rue that mistake.

Link ignored the press of Laval on his mind as he tried to communicate with him, and jumped to his feet. "Don't you realize? I'm the only one who can defeat him! If he finds any weaknesses of mine he will exploit them. He must have remembered who he is and who I am if he's suddenly attacking my friends. He is using them to get at me!"

"Link," said Zellandus sternly, interrupting him. He shot a hardened gaze at the other man before quickly shifting it back. "It is _not_ always about _you_."

At that Link was stumped. Something hurt him inside, as if he had suddenly been punched in the gut. It took a moment of thinking to figure out why. Those were the very same words he'd used on Zelda ages ago, during their last lifetime. They'd been arguing about Mell, he'd confronted her about his status as hero, how he was becoming tired of his job as savior, he'd blamed everything that had happened to him on her when in reality his anger should have been directed at the Goddess Farore for choosing him. He'd thought Zelda self-centered, unable to see past herself to other people and their needs.

'_It's not always about you'…_

Well wasn't he the hypocrite. Just look at how self-centered he'd become ever since his memories had returned. He'd ignored the needs of his friends and now look what happened. Two of his friends had been in danger, Adra injured and scarred, and Vrel missing, possibly abducted.

Perhaps he was too intent on Ganondorf and Zelda, so much that he regarded everyone else as unimportant.

It was time for him to open up to other people again and stop treating them all like the means to a gain, like irrelevant minor characters in a book whose lives didn't matter.

Zellandus was right. Ganondorf was important, but he wasn't the only evil out there…

He gazed at Adra closely. She was a friend… a friend that he would cry for if she died. He was here for her, and he would find out who attacked her and make them pay, whether it be Ganondorf or someone else. "Adra, what happened?"

Adra suddenly winced and pressed a hand to her forehead. "Er – I can't exactly… it all happened so fast, to be honest, I'm not quite sure…"

This was troubling. "You're not sure?"

"She must have knocked her head and forgotten some of the details," said Lady Frayne, watching attentively and scrutinizing Adra's behavior. "Or, that magic blast has jolted the neurons in her brain causing her to temporarily lose some of her memories."

"I say, that is a mite bit of a problem there," input Zellandus.

Adra scowled at him. "I remember some things! I know that the sorcerer had meant to kill me, and that this is the reason that I'm not dead." She jutted her hand out in front of her and smirked at Link's befuddled look and the others' nonplussed ones.

"A ring," said Link, staring at the blue stone and silver band. "The ring that woman gave you from the archery game?"

Adra beamed. "That's the one. I'll have to thank her the next time I see her. When I was hit by the magic orb I felt my hand grow warm and suddenly it was like my whole body was placed in a shield. Of course, it didn't save me from everything, only the worst of it, but if I wasn't wearing it I would've ended up a lot worse than this."

"You would've died," said Zellandus plainly, having forgotten all sense of propriety and was now standing close, examining the ring with gleaming eyes.

"Yeah," responded Adra subdued. She looked at the ring glistening on her forefinger as if in awe. "I don't know how exactly it happened. I guess there's some magic to this ring."

"That there is," said Frayne, who had been observing it as equally interested as Zellandus. "It is a ring of magic, one of the few that remain. It is simply known as the blue ring. Its power allows it to cut down damage taken to the body by half. You are correct in that if you had been without this item you would have perished."

"Lucky me," said Adra blandly. She looked over the ring once more then removed it from her finger. She held it out in her hand, shoving it in Link's direction. "You take it."

Link blinked, startled. "What?"

"Take it," said Adra, looking away from the artifact. "You'll be needing it more than me."

"But Adra," Link objected, "If I take it you'll have nothing to protect yourself -"

She snorted, cutting him off. "Oh come on, Link. When do you think I'll ever be attacked by a magic blast again? It's done its job for me, but knowing you you'll be out there in constant danger. I even bet you're on your way right now to Lake Hylia to fix that Zora problem everyone's raging about. I was just a pit stop on the way there."

Link couldn't help the wince at the truth of her words. If the village hadn't been on the way he wouldn't have bothered coming to visit at all and therefore wouldn't have learned about Adra's attack. It was maddening however that she didn't remember what happened.

"See, now take it," she insisted.

Zellandus reached for it. "Gladly!"

But his hand was quickly knocked aside by Link who took the ring and pocketed it. Zellandus scowled but didn't complain.

"No, wear it!" ordered Adra.

Link sighed and complied with her request, if only to assuage her.

Seeing it firmly pushed onto his finger, Adra sighed. "I never liked that Vivienne woman anyways. She meant to insult me by giving me that. I wonder if she knew what it could do."

Link couldn't sense the magic hidden within the blue stone, but he assumed it would awaken when it was needed. He was deeply grateful for the item. Chances were it would help him tremendously on his journey. For now though he'd give it to Zellandus once they were out of Adra's sight. As long as the Prince wasn't safely back at the castle he would need the protection more than Link.

"I swear to you, Adra, I _will_ find who did this to you and I will vanquish him," said Link, firmly intent on carrying out that oath.

Adra snorted dismissively. "You do that."

To him Adra seemed just happy to be alive and didn't care about what happened to her attacker or about his vow to avenge her. But Link meant it. He would find her attacker and bring him to justice.

"Now," said Adra, looking up. "Who's this Augurer person?"

* * *

><p>Zelda hated to do this to her old friend, however circumstances being what they were…<p>

Kicking her leg up she booted the Queen's arm along with it, giving her leave to duck under and twist around.

Queen Helerra uttered a short 'Hey!', before quickly snapping to action, responding with a swipe of her fins, almost reminiscent of a pair of scythes. Zelda did a one-handed handspring backward to create space and took a stance, ninjato upheld threateningly.

Now what to do… She couldn't very well disarm the Queen, she had no weapons to begin with, and tearing off her fins was out of the question. The only thing Zelda could do was to restrain her, which could prove to be troublesome. She'd never fought seriously against a Zora before, and she didn't think she could now. And Queen Helerra was more dangerous than any other Zora she'd ever dueled, her height and longer fins giving her an untold advantage.

Queen Helerra poised in a coil. "Surrender yourself and call your beast off!" She sprung and slashed down where Zelda had seconds ago been standing before she leapt out of the way, bearing her ninjato defensively.

"The beast is no pet of mine, I assure you," said Zelda as she ducked and overhead strike. "I mean no harm." She grunted as the Queen's fin and her blade crossed in a grind. "I am here to help. I intend to kill the creature."

Queen Helerra shoved her back with a loud 'Hah!', and continued with her onslaught. "Am I to believe that? I saw you facing the beast and let it leave unscathed. Probably giving out an order on where to attack next!"

Zelda parried a stab then threw herself to the side as the Queen once again moved in. "I swear it is not so. I speak the truth. Did you not see that I cut at the monster's flank?"

The Queen breathed a moment and stared hard at the other royal. For a second the Queen's eyes flashed and Zelda feared she recognized her. They'd been close friends before Zelda had cast the spell to erase everyone's memories. If anyone should break it no doubt Helerra would be the one. She was also the one who Zelda was most loathe to have remember her, the Sheikah being the second, for they'd most likely figuratively kill her for the deceit.

Fortunately it was something else that had caught the monarch's interest.

"What is that there at your waist?" said Queen Helerra snappishly.

Zelda felt suddenly completely bare without her cloak and mask. Keeping her eyes on her opponent she mentally took stock of her arsenal and tried to figure out what the Queen was intent on.

"Is that… yes it is! T'is the longshot," stated Helerra.

Cautiously, Zelda felt for the item secured at her waist, gloved fingers brushing over the metal curve of the clasp. "It is. What of it?"

"Ah, so you are the naïve little simpleton that I swindled those weeks ago." The Queen was smiling at this point. "Not very good at bartering are you?"

Why that irritating no good worm of a Queen! She knew from the start that she'd been had. The value for the longshot had been far too low to be worth the price that had been demanded of it and she had knowingly and desperately bought it anyways. Helerra didn't need to rub it in.

"You look as miserable as I feel." Queen Helerra swept her eyes over Zelda. "Tell me how you got in. My Zoras guard the entrance beneath the waters, no one could have slipped past them, least of all a Hylian."

"There is another cave above ground to which it connects," answered Zelda.

Helerra nodded. "Fair enough. I'll have to get my guards posted at that end too. Can't have anymore amateur adventurers wandering in heedlessly and getting themselves killed. In the meantime I suppose I'll have to take responsibility for your safety and see you out of here unharmed."

Thought grandly of herself did she. Zelda's gaze never wavered. "By all means do so. But not before the beast is slain."

A frown appeared on the Queen's face. "Seeking to steal my glory are you? Trying to make a name for yourself? Very well, you shall accompany me, only because I too have no intentions of leaving before _I_ kill the beast."

Oh, was that a note of warning in her tone? It will just have to go unheeded then, the pity.

"Agreed," Zelda responded, her eyes trained on the vicious sharp upraised fins before her as Helerra kept her stance.

"Good, then you may lower your sword," said Helerra, jerking her chin at the blade.

Zelda tensed. This Zora had no memories of her. Currently she was not her friend but an adversary. And as an adversary she was very sly and above all dangerous. It was different on the other end of the spectrum, not a friend but an enemy.

"With all due respect, I'd rather keep it out," said Zelda, looking pointedly at Helerra's fins. "That would be giving you an unfair advantage. If you cannot sheathe yours then I _will not_ sheathe mine."

"What insolence," the Queen remarked with admonishment. "Do you not know who it is you speak with? I am the Queen Zora! Overseer of all water sources in Hyrule and Termina, sovereign of all Zoras therein."

"Then you make yourself out to be even more of a threat, and grant me even more reason not to lower my guard," shot Zelda back at her.

The Queen opened her mouth to reply but had nothing to say to that. She straightened and placed her hands on her hips, looking down at Zelda. "I see your point. Keep your sword out then, you'll need it for the beast." Helerra looked around then chose a path. "This way then. We'll head it off."

Zelda briefly entertained the thought of slipping away and striking out in a different direction but that thought was squashed immediately after it was formed. She couldn't leave her friend by herself. What if something happened to her or if the creature found her? What was she doing here alone anyways? Why did she not have some guards with her?

"Keep up, will you? The beast can't be too far ahead."

Zelda was acutely reminded of their past mischief making. They'd been a pair of headstrong princesses who thought they were entitled to whatever they wanted and had the right to roam wherever they desired. She was now certain that it had been the efforts of her Sheikah guardian that had saved them on more than one of their escapades.

They were well and truly on their own this time.

They'd been walking now for fifteen minutes, the tunnels steadily becoming darker until Zelda was forced to once more create light with her magic.

As the area around them lit up, Helerra glanced at her. "You can do magic? Impressive."

She shrugged and kept following the wet trail that the creature had left behind. What exactly was it anyways? Some sort of fish, with an eel-like body, and fins and spines all along its length. A leviathan maybe, or a giant wyrm?

A gurgling sound echoed through the tunnels, accompanied by a distant roar. Zelda unconsciously tensed and became alert at the noise. It took one look at Helerra to see the Queen was too.

"So you've been down here long enough to know what that noise means," said Helerra silently.

Unfortunately, she did. No sooner had Helerra spoken than a wave of water came flooding through he tunnel, then came a burst like a damn breaking. This time it wasn't seeping slowly in, it came in one huge flood.

Zelda stared in shock at the vortex of water approaching them at rapid speed.

"Hurry and grab hold!" Helerra yelled, at the same time gripping her by the wrist and pressing them against a curve in the wall. With that the full force was alleviated from them, but it was still enough to throw them back and become swept up in the current.

Helerra kept a firm hold on Zelda as she swam against the flow before turning around and going with it. Zelda held her breath as water swirled in her vision and filled her ears. An arm wrapped around her waist and she was pushed upward. She gasped as her face hit stale air.

"Blast it! The flow is exceedingly strong. I wouldn't be able to simultaneously swim against it and keep you above the water. We're being forced further away from the beast!"

At the moment Zelda wasn't too intent on following the creature. She was more concerned with not choking on water as her head was occasionally dunked. Her sight became blurred as liquid clouded it.

The arm around her suddenly tensed. An ominous feeling came about her.

"Ah. If it were just me this would be a cinch," Helerra said anxiously, looking at something ahead.

Zelda could barely see anything, her light had gone out the moment the water had hit her, but she could hear something swirling and a great constant roar dissimilar to the sound that the creature emitted.

A dizzying sensation overcame her and she realized that they were swimming in wide circles, fast becoming smaller.

Apple's words from before hit her.

Undertow! The Queen was being pulled in by the undertow.

"Dammit all! This is not good!" Helerra was trying to swim straight so they could bypass the whirlpool, but all she was succeeding in was wasting energy. "Blast it! Hold your breath!"

Zelda took in one last gulp of air before water completely encompassed her and they were sucked down.

* * *

><p>For the second time that day Zelda found herself awakening by coughing up water. She felt a hand steady her and help her scooch back to lean against the wall while she caught her breath. She eased her eyes open, quickly blinking away the watery film that had covered them and took in the shadowed face of the Zora Queen.<p>

She stifled a groan. It felt like something had repeatedly bashed her in the abdomen.

"And Joran said that hitting things doesn't always fix them," said Helerra in self-satisfaction. "Look at that. A good punch to the stomach and you're as good as new."

As new as a newborn lamb that had just been tossed off a cliff maybe. She pushed up to stand, noting the puddle next to her that may or may not have been something she'd vomited. She couldn't tell, her memories were a bit hazy.

She blinked as she recalled going down the whirlpool, and looked around. "Where are we?"

Abruptly a coughing fit seized her and for a good few minutes she hacked out her lungs.

Helerra raised a nonexistent eyebrow at her in concern. "Are you alright? Do you need me to help you expel more liquid from your lungs?"

Zelda waved her off, her coughing easing slightly. "No thank you." She coughed once more before she could breathe normally again. "You've done enough damage, I'm sure."

"Well then," said Helerra, loftily. She turned away and scrutinized their surroundings. "It appears that we've fallen down a hole and ended up here in some sort of natural cavern. How deep underground we've come is uncertain, but it is possible to climb back up. We both have longshots, and the water has dissipated. It will just take time." She glanced at Zelda then motioned to the dark space before them. "Give us some light will you? Might as well be of use while you're here."

Zelda sighed then shot out a ball of light, which swiftly zoomed around the room, spreading around the perimeter and lingering on the walls like torches. Only then were they able to see how vast the cavern was. It was enormous! Stalactites hung from the ceiling like giant spears, hovering over a decent sized black lake with an island in the center.

She saw her ninjato laying a few feet away and, relieved, pulled it free from where it had stuck in the mud. She dried it off and swung it experimentally. Still in good shape.

Helerra cautiously stepped toward the lake, her face a mask of disgust as she looked into the water. "Filthy and full of worms and other revolting creatures. There is little doubt that the beast makes this place its abode. It must have been spawned here many years ago and has been taking nourishment from the things in the water. The tunnels must be at least a decades worth of carving and finally it has reached the open."

Zelda felt her stomach roil in revulsion. That something like this could have been harbored in Hyrule all this time appalled her. It made her contemplate what else could be hidden in vast reaches of her country, hiding and waiting until it became larger and stronger and a veritable threat to the kingdom.

From beside her, Helerra's head shot up. "Listen! Can you hear that?"

A muffled roar was heard bouncing off the walls until it reached their ears. Zelda shifted, her feet crunching the gravel beneath her. With the illumination she could see from where they had come from, a great hole in the side of the wall, from which they'd been unceremoniously spat out.

Small rocks rolled to the water's edge as the cavern shook. There was a loud splash as a stalactite fell from the ceiling. Small trails of water began trickling from the hole.

She gripped her ninjato tightly in one hand, her other raised and building with magic.

Zelda's eyes shone in readiness. "Something wicked this way comes."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: No, Adra did not actually die. Ironic isn't it? How Vivienne gave her the ring and how the ring ended up saving her from Vivienne's attack. Now the question is, was Vivienne aware from the start of what the ring was capable of? Something for you guys to ponder.**

_**In answer to NamelessReader31's questions:**_

**The ministers _do_ know that Link is stronger than most anyone there. Remember, when Dasril say's that, he is trying to trivialize the threat that Link poses so that Xerthos won't bother with him. Dasril doesn't want Zelda potentially getting hurt again while trying to protect Link. As for the other antagonists: Reth simply doesn't care, he sort of views magic as a trump card and thinks he can easily do away with him. As for Alceolus, he just doesn't like Link at all and is jealous of the attention he is getting. Plus he is not really a swordsman and doesn't regularly watch duels so he doesn't have an eye for technique and skill, and swordplay doesn't really impress him. Besides they all think that once they reach their ultimate goal (which will be explained later on) nobody will be able to stop them (the cocky bastards ^^).**

**Hmmm, your second question is a good one. I intended to put something along those lines in the story later on. Zelda is actually going to be confronted with that question. I wouldn't want to spoil anything for you guys, but if you want to know the answer to this you can contact me and I'll tell you.**

**Hope that helps!**

**Thanks everyone for reading! And please tell me if you see any inconsistencies or mistakes!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Thanks so much to my reviewers: Schniedragon88, Lilac Gemani, Generala, ObscurityProject, Bloodspire, tetraforce theory, PrincessPeach, Astercia, , Death Waltz, FallenAngel2298, Shiny Silver Eevee, and Wolf!**

**Thank you, thank you, thank you!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 18<strong>

The cavern rumbled, the stillness of the black lake was disturbed and water sloshed madly against the rocky shore. Pebbles and water streamed from the opening above them as the roaring grew louder, heralding the approaching beast.

Zelda gathered her courage and poured more magic into her hands, both shaking from tension. She sheathed her ninjato. If it hadn't been able to pierce the beast's flesh before, it wouldn't be able to do so now.

"Vile creature!" hissed Helerra, snapping her arms back before crossing them in front of her, fins flared and gleaming dangerously. She tossed Zelda a stern gaze. "Stay back. Do not get in my way as I kill it."

"You mean to slay it by yourself?" said Zelda incredulously, never mind that she'd had the same objective from the start. She had to admit though, Queen Helerra's presence had boosted her confidence. With the both of them fighting together they'd have a good chance at defeating this foe _and_ surviving in the end – something Zelda was quite keen on.

"This isn't a game. The beast cannot be harmed by regular means," shot Zelda staring fixedly at the tunnel opening as the roaring grew louder.

The Queen eyed her piercingly. "And you suggest that you help? Oh please. I was holding back during our little brawl earlier, and it is clear to me that you don't have half the skill needed to fight this thing."

Zelda only scoffed. "You weren't the only one holding back, your majesty." Helerra flicked her fins irately. "It appears that we both came here for the same purpose. I rather like the odds if it were two against one."

It was to both their benefits to fight side by side, why couldn't she accept that? But Queen Helerra wasn't having any of it. Her voice when she spoke next attested her status as Queen and her unquestioned authority.

"I said I'd see to your safety," Helerra said grimly. "This is a Zora affair. I shall not be responsible for any Hylian involvement. I refuse to have a Hylian death on my hands."

The rumbling had grown louder, they had little more than a minute before the creature reached them. Zelda, assuring that she was well charged, watched almost eagerly for the first sign of it. Neither she nor the Queen had taken their eyes off the opening. If they could catch the thing by surprise then they'd have an enormous advantage.

"If I am to die the fault shall lie solely with me," she asserted.

"Do you know how many of my Zoras died in these tunnels within the last fortnight?" the Queen spat furiously, although Zelda was sure that fury wasn't meant for her. It seemed self-directed. "I've seen their bones, you know. Body parts, blood splattered on walls. I've been tracking the beast for two days now. When I heard the noise you were making I followed the sound, hoping to find a survivor, one of my own. Instead I come across a foolish Hylian who deliberately placed herself in danger thinking that hunting monsters was a good idea." She snorted. "I should have known better than to give away that longshot."

The Queen's admittance surprised Zelda. In their youth she'd been egotistical, uncaring of anyone but herself and her friends. Now here she was, a full grown Zora, and the Queen to boot, sticking herself with a poker for these Zoras who she may or may not personally know. They were her people and she was taking full responsibility for them. She had acknowledged their needs as her responsibility, as her duty, she cared about them. It slightly amazed Zelda that Helerra had matured in this way.

There was a loud screech and suddenly the beast burst overhead, soaring out of the tunnel. It spotted them instantly and greeted them with a wide threatening smile, lower jaw hinging and unhinging as if to taunt them.

It was on a direct course to crash with them. Zelda knew she had to take action before they collided and met those sharp needle-like teeth.

Raising her arms she released the pent up magic that she'd stored in her hands. Light burst forth in a brilliant flash, colliding with the creature's face and burning it. Zelda continued the stream of power until she was sure that the skin would peel clean off.

Abruptly she cut off the magic and darted to the side as the screaming creature hit stone and writhed. Here in the open there was more room for the beast to move about as it squirmed like a fish on land.

Queen Helerra appeared beside her, slightly breathless and wide eyed at what she was seeing. They had known that the creature was massive, but seeing it's whole body out in the open like this only solidified the fact. They kept back and well clear of its throes.

"By the Goddesses, what did you do to it?" said Helerra, transfixed.

Zelda didn't answer, too intent on watching the creature as it writhed. They leapt further away as they were nearly batted by the creature's coils. Zelda retreated to an outcrop overlooking the lake, gazing steadily. Could this be it? Had that been the killer blow to end the beast?

From further down, perched on a jutting ledge, Queen Helerra glanced up at her. "Don't think that this changes my mind. What I said still stands."

Zelda tensed her shoulders in anticipation. "I do what is necessary, whether it conforms to your sense of duty or not."

From the corner of her eyes she saw the Queen bite savagely at her bottom lip, but did not respond.

The creature finally went still, stiffening then going limp. It seemed like forever that it had been wracked with pain, unwilling to succumb and let itself die. Its movements had disrupted the ground and caused more than one sturdy boulder to shatter from the force of its bulk of coiling muscle smashing into it. The whole scene was a pantomime of its pain and anger.

Zelda leapt off the outcrop and strode towards the beast. At last the ground no longer moved and each step was taken with steady grace.

She brushed up beside one of the creature's massive coils and used a spine to hoist herself up so that she could walk along its length to the head. She barely noticed when Helerra lifted herself up beside her, her nose wrinkled upward in a sneer.

"It's worse than a reekfish," she muttered. "Although I doubt it would taste just as good. My Zoras are going to need to categorize this creature into the annals. It will have to be dissected, classified into its proper kingdom and species. The bones will definitely come in handy, as will the pelt, once it's thoroughly scrubbed and washed of course."

Zelda felt a stare burning on the back of her head and looked over her shoulder, eyes connecting with the Queen's steady gaze.

"You'll want some of the prize, won't you? After all, this is your kill," the Queen admitted, albeit reluctantly.

She really didn't care about all that. The Queen could take all of the spoils if she wanted to. It didn't matter to her. What was important was that it was finally dead, presumably. She just had to confirm it first.

"What is your name anyways?" asked Helerra. "I'm going to have to put more than 'foolish Hylian woman' in the annals alongside my name. This event must be chronicled, all for future use of course. If something like this occurs again people are going to need a reference."

Zelda hopped down once she reached the end and brought out a beam of light to properly illuminate the face. She hadn't yet taken down the small beams around the room, but they did not produce enough light to show details, only the shapes and colors of objects.

Queen Helerra jumped down after her and landed in a crouch. Straightening, she turned toward Zelda. "Or, if you wish anonymity I would be more than happy to omit your name in any retelling of the event. Another person will not even be mentioned if you so wish it. Eh? What has you making that face?"

Zelda was no longer listening, her focus on something much more important. It was the creature. Its smile had finally gone limp, eyes staring unseeingly ahead, lifeless and vacant, dirt and grime covered its scales in clumps, a tooth had fallen out of its mouth as it was knocked out with the force of its throes. Most urgently, its face bore not a single mark or blemish. It was as if her magic had not actually burned it. But she could have sworn she had smelt the scent of burning flesh. It did not make sense.

Helerra was suddenly in her face, for the first time looking genuinely concerned. "You're as pale as a poe! You must be in shock or undergoing some other equally pathetic Hylian expression of weakness. You must calm down. Don't think about it too much or it will only become worse."

Zelda at that moment felt a tinge of fright. She stared over the Zora's shoulder, eyes widening at a sign of movement. The creature was slowly rising off the ground. Zelda's gaze followed its trajectory, her face encompassing shock, wariness, and disbelief all at once.

Something zapped across the creature's skin, emitting a sound like a crackle. Helerra jumped at the noise and swung around.

"Holy!"

The creature's head hung limply as it dangled in the air as if maintained by a rope. Little bolts of electrical currents started flashing all over. Its jaw snapped open and abruptly it pointed its eyes at them before its head jerked back. It let out a long angry screech, a shrill cry that rumbled deeply from its core releasing through its throat into the cavern.

Zelda snapped from her momentary daze and took action. Before the thing could make its move to attack them she had two light beams at the ready in her palms and she hurled them at the beast. One crashed into its flank causing another deafening roar to be released, while the other was quickly dodged as the beast snapped away like an asp, tensing and releasing its coils. It stared right at her and snapped its jaws, saliva spewing from its mouth.

It screeched again and twisted around to snap at something behind it. Queen Helerra came tumbling down from its back, altering her descent and just managing to land on her feet. She bent her knees, ready to spring again.

"I thought you killed it!" she said accusingly, breathing heavily and slightly flustered.

Zelda narrowed her eyes, readying another beam of light. "I thought so too."

The beast charged at them, its mouth gaping wide and meaning to snatch them up and skewer them with its teeth. Helerra sprang up, clogging the beast on the head between the eyes. Zelda ran forward and ducked under its chin right as it snapped the air.

Helerra held onto the beast, clinging to one of its spines and stabbed her fin into its head, digging it in as hard as she could. A red light flashed over the spot where the point met its scales and Helerra was pushed back. With another jolt she was flung off and soared in the direction of the lake. She recovered herself midair and landed short of the water, hastily adding to the space between her and the dark liquid.

"No way am I going to so much as touch something that revolting." She regarded the water with distaste. "There's no way I'm letting that go," she groused to herself then glared at the beast, sticking a finger out and jabbing it threateningly. "Come hell or heaven I'm having snakefish for dinner tonight!"

While Helerra got that sorted out, Zelda was currently dodging the things' massive coils, intent on pummeling her, and shooting blasts of magic at it, looking for its weak spot. It was a boss monster, all boss monsters had weak spots so why shouldn't this one? She simply had to get it to reveal it to her, and to somehow figure out how to damage it.

She grunted indignantly as she was caught on the end swing of its flailing tail and shoved against the wall. Wobbly, she forced herself back to her feet, grasping her panging arm, which sported a long gash caused by the rocks. It felt as if her whole left side had been slapped. She anticipated some interesting coloring patterns on her skin later on.

She deferred to the Queen, who although ruffled and scratched up, looked no less regal than if she were giving a speech. Her posture and formidable poise made it seem like an inherent trait.

Zelda snapped her attention back to the beast. "Well said. But I would greatly appreciate if you would carry it out." She powered another attack, holding it in order to build it up. She had quickly discovered that her ninjato was all but useless against the creature's hide, and it seemed Helerra's fins didn't do much better. If the Queen noticed she didn't admit it, and Zelda wisely didn't mention it. The last thing that was good for them was telling her that her attacks were pretty much all useless. But she did still provide a distraction for the beast. Its attention had to be split two ways, it couldn't keep sight of them both.

Helerra bent low and readied herself in an offensive position. "Gladly!"

At the same time Zelda let loose her light magic watching as it charged and struck the beast in the face. Helerra swerved under its flailing head and sliced at its neck, encountering the same red sparks from before wherever her fins made contact.

Zelda was briefly assaulted with the scent of burnt flesh before a red light appeared on its jaw where she had hit it. The light swept over the area and dissipated to reveal a patch of untouched scales.

A revelation came to her suddenly, and with it accompanied a flicker of worry.

This was going to be so much more difficult.

"I can't penetrate!" Helerra shouted, dodging and slashing as she battled the monster. Her voice was laced with the beginnings of concern as if she was only now realizing her helplessness. "Something coats its skin, giving it protection against all my attacks. It's as if it's using-"

"Magic," Zelda whispered and nearly stumbled, the mental blow hitting her hard. "A beast that can use magic to heal itself and put up a barrier…" It was almost too much to take in. Not only did the creature have a thick layer of skin and nigh impenetrable hardened scales, it also had magic? But no monsters were capable of using magic. They'd have to be intelligent or divine beings. This creature was as primal as one could get. How was it possible?

They no longer had breath to talk anymore. All reservations the Queen had about letting Zelda join the fight were gone, both too intent on staying alive and figuring out a way to kill the creature.

Despite her not having ever fought against a beast of this magnitude before, Zelda moved with instinctive fluidness. It was a simple matter of avoiding getting hit and attacking at any opening. Her best chance was to wear the beast down, have it use up all of its mana first and then deal the final strike. However, it was hard to tell how deep the creature's mana stores were, she had to go by guessing based on how fast it healed itself and how quick it erected its shield.

At the rate they were going it seemed that she would be running out sooner than the creature. She'd depleted some of her mana earlier in the tunnels, and with each attack was fastly using it up. Her physical shape at the moment didn't help matters and only served to make it more difficult to cast each spell.

In retrospect she should have known to pack more blue potions than just that single bottle, but she hadn't anticipated she'd be using so much of her magic.

Maybe if she tried applying a constant stream of magic its defense would crack and she'd be able to break in.

The beast reared up and opened its maw wide. Quick as a snake, its tongue lashed out and dented the ground near where Helerra had just been standing before she dodged. A fleshy strip of the muscle hung off and waved uselessly as the tongue struck again.

Helerra growled angrily, a feral sound building at the back of her throat, then charged wildly, attacking with fervor. Zelda shot a beam at the creature to draw its full attention away, and that's when she saw it. The light from her magic had shimmered off of something low down on the beast's belly.

The creature struck with its head, diving in to nab the Queen in its powerful jaws. The object was, once again covered by the beast's massive body as it slithered forward.

Automatically swerving sideways to avoid a coil, Zelda wracked her brain then stepped out of the fight. She moved back towards a ledge by the lake and sent her magic out.

"What are you doing?" Helerra cried, twirling and delivering a roundabout slash. "I thought you wanted to help kill this thing. I thought you wanted a share in the glory!"

"Hold it off! I need just a moment…" They had to yell over the din to hear what the other was saying. Between the creature's roars and the fighting, their loud shouting only seemed to add to the adrenaline.

Zelda once again sent her magic out, her previous efforts having been disrupted as Helerra shocked her concentration. This was a different type of magic, subtle and probing, almost meditative. And, really, it would have been easier in a meditative state, but for what she was searching for she was certain that she wouldn't need to concentrate _that_ much.

Helerra fought with flurry, successfully hooking the creature's full attention, diverting it away from Zelda. Zelda used that moment to touch the creature's magic with her own, gently and covertly, so as to keep it unaware of what she was doing.

There it was, the main source of its magic, thrumming and pulsing on its belly, the thing that she had glimpsed earlier. The magic was not it's own but originated from a magical object that the creature had discovered. It must have activated once it felt the need of its holder as it laid dying, healing it and giving it protection. That was why they couldn't damage the beast. That was the beast's weak spot. If they were able to pry it off or to somehow shatter it the beast would lose its means of defense. She'd be able to pierce it with her magic.

Now how to get at it…

The beast lost patience with them. Its prey were too swift and they ran around, confusing it. With an indignant roar it flung to the side and slithered away beneath the black waters of the lake. Water whooshed up in its wake as it vanished from sight, completely drenching and infuriating the Zora Queen.

Helerra chased after it, but stopped five feet from the water, deciding against plunging in after it.

"Filthy serpent!" She swiped a hand on her brow to wipe off the accumulated water there then backed away carefully. It was not wise being so near to a water source when one couldn't see what it had beneath. Helerra was wary enough to know that the beast could jump out at her at any moment, and with those muscles along its flanks that had been working out within the tunnels for who knows how many years, it would be precise to assume that it was even faster under water.

"Well," said the Queen, hand braced on her jutting hip as she stared up at Zelda. "Now what?"

Zelda backed away from the ledge, following Helerra to stand against the relative safety of the cavern wall, as far away from the water as possible.

She ignored the aching of her body and assessed the amount of mana she had left at her disposal. If possible, she'd rather conserve what she had. "Tell me… how fast of a swimmer are you?"

Queen Helerra shot her a look of pure disgust. "No! Whatever little plan you are concocting I will not adhere to it! May I remind you that I hold greater rank! I am Queen, we do as _I_ say."

Annoyed, Zelda snapped back. "If it is unwanted then stop asking me for advice."

"You don't actually think I seriously consider your plans?" scoffed Helerra, jerking her chin up in a sign of superiority. "It helps to bounce ideas and stimulate my own."

She imagined her younger self would have pouted or rolled her eyes at her friend. Presently, Zelda could care less. "It has a jewel on its underside. I suspect that it is the source of the beast's magical acquisition."

For all that Helerra admitted that she disregarded the other woman's ideas, she listened with rapt attention. "So, we get rid of the jewel, leaving the beast open to attack, with no damned barrier protecting it."

"Precisely!"

Helerra then pointedly looked out onto the still lake. "And you want me to go in there and get under it to somehow dislodge the thing?"

My, she caught on quickly. "If it's not too much trouble."

Again she witnessed Helerra's incredulous expression, one full of repulse and trepidation. Zelda could hardly blame her. It wasn't exactly something she'd want to do either. But unless they could get the beast to lift its torso up to a certain extent that was the only way they'd have access to it.

The only warning was a rush of water creating a wake as something skidded beneath it. The creature blasted to the surface, jaws opening, screeching with malice as it rushed toward them.

By instinct, Zelda thrust her body to the side as Helerra did the same in the opposite direction. The creature slammed its nose into the wall and recoiled, roaring in pain.

Zelda rolled and jumped to her feet, taking off at a sprint. She was shocked that the creature could reach so far so fast. The wall had to be over thirty feet from the shore.

In its momentary rancor of pain Zelda took the opportunity to place as much space between her and the creature as possible. They needed to regroup. They couldn't do anything until that jewel was gone.

An arm grabbed her. Zelda would have hacked it off with her ninjato had she not known that the only two people here were herself and Helerra.

Helerra pulled her into a deep crevice in the wall, hidden partially by a pile of crumbled stone. They ventured deep in and then slumped down to rest, listening abjectly to the roars of the creature go silent and the shifting of gravel pick up as it moved about in search of them.

"I'll do it!" Helerra hissed. "I'll do the damned thing. I just hope you know that if I suffocate in that filth it will lie completely on your head and you'll be hunted down to the last moment of your life by my Zoras."

Zelda didn't bother to mention that it would be highly unlikely that the Zoras would ever think that she was to blame if the Queen did die down here when they easily had the creature to peg it on.

They snapped quiet as a shadow passed over the curve in the wall that blocked the view from the entrance. Zelda could hear the creature's breathing, a deep and resonating hum. She could smell its reek, putrid and rank from years spent underground immersed in filth.

"Alright," Zelda whispered as silently as she could. "We have to somehow lure it back into the lake. The obvious way to do this would be if it followed you, which may be difficult because we've trapped ourselves in this hole as far away from the lake as possible. I'll have to sneak out and provide a distraction while you-"

Zelda was cut off as Helerra let out a weak squawk as if suppressing a full-blown scream from coming from her mouth. Her eyes were wide as she huddled further back into the wall as if trying to get away from Zelda.

She was about to ask what was wrong when she felt the a weight settle on her shoulder and the prickling of claws as they dug into her shirt and moved downward.

Cautiously she glanced down then snapped her head back up. An enormous centipede was crawling its way over her. It moved down her arm to her elbow, its weight settling on her stomach as it paused for a moment then continued on. Zelda tried to ignore that inherent reaction to slay the thing and toss it away, but within their small amount of space the action would undoubtedly be heard by the creature.

She remained still, her hand brushing against the wall to clench on something, _anything_. Suddenly her fingers dipped into a crack. Curiously, she felt around the crack, delight flooding her as she determined that it was another way out. It would be a tight fit, but she was certain that both she and Helerra could somehow squeeze through.

"If that thing comes near me…" Helerra squeaked a warning.

"Don't you dare!" she hissed, watching avidly as the centipede lazily made its way up to the Queen.

Zelda's gut clenched as it took the first steps up Helerra's leg. Helerra looked down in terror, biting her lip to keep from reacting how normal people would react to something so gross touching them. It eased up her side before switching direction and turned to crawl up her arm.

Zelda could see the fear in the Queen's eyes, the effort it took her not to scream and thrash until the thing was off her. It must have been ultimately worse for her. Unlike Zelda, it was bare skin the centipede was crawling on, not the covering of clothes.

The centipede reached the wall and began its journey upward into a small hole on the ceiling. Helerra remained tense until the thing was gone from sight, but then she was looking around their little hideaway in paranoia.

"That's it!" she spat lowly. "I am so not going in that water."

If the things in there were anything like that giant centipede then she couldn't blame her. This would definitely require an alteration of their plans.

There was a sudden bang. The walls shook. Zelda jolted and Helerra grunted as a dislodged rock struck her shoulder.

Then there was a roar. It travelled straight through the crevice, whipping Zelda's hair around her face, and she squinted her eyes against the rankness of it.

It had found them, and it was not pleased with how they'd hidden themselves away out of reach from it.

A tongue darted through the opening. Helerra cried out in shock as Zelda pushed back against the wall. It halted a foot away from them and could not go further. The creature roared in fury and continued trying to stretch its tongue out at them.

Helerra's face wrinkled in disgust as she turned away from it, pinching her nose. "Urghhh, how utterly sickening."

Zelda was sidling along to the crack and working to push herself through. "Come on while its attention is focused on the front entrance we'll sneak out the back."

"Back?" said Helerra piercingly. "Since when was there another exit?" She hurried to slide after Zelda as the Hylian began pushing herself through the tight gap.

Zelda didn't bother to mention that it was the place where the centipede had come from, nor that there may or may not be more on the other side. At the moment she'd rather face a horde of giant centipedes than that creature.

When Zelda was through she had to quickly catch herself before she fell. The crack led out to a narrow ledge. Dark water lapped below, ominous and wafting up the smell of slime and filth.

She helped Helerra make it through the last inch before both pressed their backs against the wall. Helerra considered the dark depths. Zelda saw how she flinched at every roar of frustration the creature released. Each time it slammed itself against the wall in its fury and reached again with its tongue.

"There's no way out of this, is there?" asked Helerra dejectedly.

"There!" Zelda said, pointing. "You see that island? We'll lure it there. You'll have the length of the lake to attack the jewel and then we can finish it off."

"You sure?" said Helerra, skeptically. "We'll be exposed on all sides. We won't know which direction the beast will attack from when it strikes from beneath the water."

"Yes," Zelda conceded. "But it will give you many chances to get to the jewel if you fail the first time. What choice do we have, really?"

Helerra nodded in understanding. There were only two options for them. Go back to the beast where they would continue the in the same manner and get nowhere, or lure it away and trap it? It was obvious which one was the preferred choice.

Determination glowed in the Queen's eyes and Zelda nodded. "Get me to the island first. It will see me and come after me while you hide in the lake and attack it from below."

Helerra sighed. "Very well. But if this doesn't work…"

She let that hang. Zelda knew that if they failed then it would be a trial for whose energy lasted the longest. She hoped by then that the beast would have expended so much energy that it would tire it out. Logically, its greater mass and weight would cause it to tire out first.

The worst outcome she could think of was that the jewel also rejuvenated the beast along with healing it. Then there'd be no choice but to fall back on her magic. That was her last resort. There was no certainty that it would be enough against the beast. She was far better at creating barriers than tearing them down.

Slowly and meticulously they climbed down the side of the ledge then slid into the water. She had to give Helerra credit. The Queen didn't even flinch as she dunked in then after a moment, resurfaced. A scowl marred her face as she tread water.

"It is difficult, but the water is breathable," she muttered anxiously. "Most of the creatures are bed dwelling. They stay close to the bottom and burrow in the mud."

Zelda tried not to picture it as she immersed herself fully in the water next to the Queen. Helerra grabbed her around the waist and Zelda took a deep breath before they dove.

She clenched her eyes shut and tried to ignore the slimy feeling against her skin. Combined with the frigid temperature it did not make for a pleasant experience. They zoomed through the water and Helerra squeezed her waist as a signal that they were about to break the surface.

As quietly as she could, Zelda gasped in cold air. She had begun shivering and held onto Helerra's arms tighter in effort to regain feeling in her fingers.

The creature was still snarling over on the other bank.

"Nearly there," hissed Helerra, not as affected by the cold as Zelda was.

Zelda breathed in and they were submerged once more. Helerra sped on.

Within the next instance, Helerra suddenly increased her speed. Zelda felt the sleek movement of the Zora against her back as Helerra swam with expert grace. Then she swerved and Zelda knew they had just dodged something.

She became nervous and silently urged Helerra to swim faster. She swerved again, then her hands were on Zelda's sides and she thrust Zelda upward.

Zelda slammed against hard rock and knew they had made it. Helerra urgently pushed her up then grasped the stone.

Zelda turned to help her when suddenly Helerra howled. She thrashed in the water, clinging to the rock and trying to climb up. Zelda grabbed her arms and put her weight backward.

The noise at the end of the cavern stopped. Zelda looked up and saw great gleaming black eyes focusing on them. The creature spread its mouth in that feral grin it had, and, almost lazily, it slithered to the lake's edge and slipped under the water. It went slowly, as if taking its time, as if knowing that they were not going anywhere.

They were trapped, and something had Helerra.

Zelda used the strength of her legs to pull harder. Helerra's squirming and painful hollers did nothing to help the situation. The Zora was slipping out of her grasp and Zelda dug her nails into flesh to keep her latched on.

One final thrash caused Helerra to hit her side against the rock and whatever it was that held onto her grew limp. Zelda pulled the Queen's now supple body up and dragged her back far away from the banks.

She paled at the sight of Helerra, lying prone on the ground and groaning, with the body of a great black eel hanging off her hip, its teeth dug firmly into her flesh. Blood coated the eel's mouth and marked a trail of where she'd slid the Queen along the ground.

Zelda knelt next to Helerra who was gritting her teeth in pain.

"-off me … get this thing … off me!" Helerra hissed, moments away from passing out. Zelda hurriedly reached for her pack to retrieve a red potion and her eyes widened. Somewhere along the way she had lost her pack! The pack in which were stored her essentials. She felt along her belt, fingers brushing across her longshot, two knives, and Farore's wind. Nothing else. She'd have to use magic to heal her, magic which she was conserving to use against the beast.

The Queen whimpered and groaned loudly, blindly flailing her hands down to tug on the eel's head. Hurriedly, Zelda shoved the hands away and turned the Queen onto her side, clutching onto both ends of the eel's mouth.

"I apologize for this," she said, before yanking the mouth open and tossing the dead eel away. Helerra cried out and scratched her hands along the stone, splitting the tips of her fingers open.

Zelda plucked out a few teeth that had stuck in the wound and hovered her hand over it, pouring out her magic, sealing it up as quickly as she could. Her gaze shifted to the lake where she made out the large ripples, which indicated the beast heading toward them.

She tugged at her magic, willing it to work faster.

The wounds sealed just as the creature shot out from the water.

Zelda shoved her hands in front of her and light pulsed from them as she created a shield. The beast skimmed its nose off it and drew back, smiling wider than ever as if knowing the chase was drawing to a close.

"Blasted worm!" said Helerra, struggling to pull herself to her feet and swaying precariously before setting her feet apart for stability. "When I'm done with it-"

"What do you think you are doing?" shot Zelda.

The beast charged at them. Zelda put up another shield and was pushed back as the beast rammed into it. Losing her strength, Helerra dropped to one knee. Zelda backed up and crouched beside her.

"Away from me! I'll tear that salmon to pieces!"

Zelda restrained her. "You've lost too much blood. We have to get you out of here."

She had no other choice. It was either this or let her friend die. Before the beast could attack again, Zelda pressed something into Helerra's abdomen and activated it.

A bright green light formed around her. Helerra barely knew what was happening before her body started to faze out and she glared at Zelda, a look that spoke of endless hatred. "You bitc-!"

With that Queen Helerra was gone. Farore's magic having sent her to the entrance of the tunnel by Heron Lake. She could rest then easily make her way to the water where her kin would look after her.

Alone, Zelda turned to face the creature.

The beast roared and dove in the water. It's spine breeched the surface as it began circling the island like a shark stalking its prey.

Zelda pulled out the longshot and rammed her finger on the trigger. It blazed through the air, hitting the water and rebounding off the creature's scales as the magical stone sparked to life.

She shot again, this time she didn't aim for the monster. The point sunk into the water and from there Zelda pressed on another button.

Sparks of electricity flared down the wire and lit up the surface. Blue jolts jumped around the creature's hide, forking over its face as it reared up and bared its teeth at her.

Dead bodies floated to the surface, more eels and other gruesome looking fish that had been burned from the electrically charged water.

The beast flared its fins and she swore a chuckle escaped its mouth as it leered down at her.

And then it appeared. The jewel, rising out of the water as the creature stretched higher, readying to lunge. Without thinking, Zelda aimed and shot. The longshot hit the jewel squarely in the middle, as it was not naturally apart of the creature's body the barrier did not extend around it and it shattered.

The monster hardly seemed to notice as it struck, focused only on the kill.

A new confidence filled her, born of her success and the chance that it gave her. Quickly she side-jumped out of the way, withdrawing her ninjato.

But then abruptly the creature halted mid-strike and shot out its tongue. Startled, Zelda was yanked off her feet as it wrapped around her ankles. It retracted, and she shot toward the creature's mouth, its rows of teeth glaring sharp and dangerous.

A spike of fear swept down her spine. Her heart palpitated madly under her ribcage as a gasp was torn from her.

Desperately she brought the sword up, trying to reach for the tongue and slice it off.

Darkness surrounded her, something tore at her back. She hit the roof of its mouth before everything went still.

Then there was the sensation of falling as the creature crashed into the ground and became motionless.

Zelda hardly dared to breathe. Something warm trickled down her arms and dribbled on her face. A single rivulet trailed into her mouth. She tasted blood.

Her form quivering, she wiggled her ninjato, releasing another stream of blood from above. It was jammed to the hilt in the roof of the creature's mouth, and from the look of it, she had pierced the beast's brain.

She whispered a soft 'thank you' to the Goddesses then yielded to exhaustion.

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><p><strong>AN: Lot's and lot's of action here. Next chapter will have more Link in it, as well as probably Dasril too. **

**I don't know how well this was written, considering that I've been writing it while I'm sick, but hopefully it wasn't too bad of a chapter. **


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: This chapter was long in coming. And what was I doing in between writing this and wasting away with school and work? Well, I attended numerous end of summer barbecues, did lotsa swimming, killed enough spiders in my basement to ensure rain for the next two years here and in all the other provinces (in Canada), and did some plotting of original story ideas with my sister (a very painstaking task. Don't expect any original works from me for a decade or so, haha). **

**To OrangeStreakedStar, Wolf, ObscurityProject, tetraforcetheory, Schniedragon88, Bloodspire, Generala, , Astercia, and Death Waltz, thanks for reviewing!**

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><p><span>Chapter 19<span>

He wasn't quite sure how the beast had died, there were no wounds anywhere on its hide that could be considered deadly, but there was one patch of raw skin right between five large scales on its belly where shards of some precious stone remained. Could that have been some sort of life sustaining device?

He surveyed the beast, which they had decided to name Baralanthos, as was custom to do for extraordinary creatures. It lay immobile on its side, its fins limp, and some of the spines broken off and scattered on the ground. What was most disturbing was its face, frozen in a wicked smile, which bared its teeth.

He sighed and watched as his Zora retrieval squad used a combination of magic and specialized blades to carve open Baralanthos' stomach.

Just five hours ago they'd all been shocked when the Queen, accompanied by a pair of Heron Lake Zoras, arrived at Lake Hylia. They'd been rightly confused, since she was supposed to have been inside the cavern at that time – having gone ahead on her own, much to her people's consternation. She'd sent them in at once to go after some Hylian woman and find some infernal monster, whose description could easily become the darkest thing in a Zora's nightmares.

Well, they'd found the monster, after following the Queen's vague directions – to her credit, it did actually lead them to their goal. It had taken a short speech about determination, and some barked out orders to get his Zoras diving into the black lake. The Queen had warned them about more creatures beneath the waters, things that almost made him shudder. Surprisingly they encountered nothing too threatening, and those they dealt off with their harpoons. They found a good number of different variations of fish, dead and floating around the island. By then most of his team were struggling not to breathe too deeply.

And so there it was, the tidal cave monster, but no woman.

The Queen had been adamant that the Hylian be brought back alive and safe. He was beginning to fear the worst though.

He'd split his team into two immediately after they'd scoured the island and found no sign of her. One team had been sent underwater to find her drowned corpse, another, smaller group had stayed and were to cut Baralanthos open to find her partially digested remains.

Neither outlook was good. At this point it was all too clear that she'd either survived and escaped the tunnels by herself or was lying somewhere dead.

He swept another glance over the massive creature. He'd wager on the latter.

There was a shear as a cleaver sliced open Baralanthos' belly then a slimy gush as black liquid escaped from it. The Zoras jerked back, covering their noses and expressing sounds of disgust.

He frowned. "Are you all inexperienced tadtones? Stop your whining and get back to gutting that fish!"

One of the Zoras looked up from sawing at the hide and met his eyes. "With all due respect, Sir Vire, this is hardly comparable."

Vire narrowed beady black eyes at the Zora. "Size and shape don't matter. Gutting is gutting, and I know you've all done it before. The Queen wants the Hylian found, so we're going to search _all_ possible locations." He then turned away and strode to the bank. He used the butt end of his harpoon to tap the water. "Report!"

A minute passed, then a slim looking Zora popped her head up and wiped water out of her face before looking at him. "Nothing so far, sir Vire. We've found a few skeletons and some old weapons at the bottom. I'm not sure what state her body will be in if we do find her. Those mud dwellers are the type to shred the flesh off bones in seconds. I doubt we'd be able to identify her even if we do find her. We'd have to collect some bone samples to take to Lady Frayne."

Vire nodded. "We'll focus on that later if we haven't found anything. For now, keep searching."

The Zora dove, disturbing a black oily substance that coated the surface of the water as she went under.

"Sir Vire, I think I've found something!"

Vire strode over to a Zora hovering by Baralanthos' head and was eagerly directed to a glop of darkish red blood trailing from its mouth and blackening its teeth.

"There's an open wound here in the mouth," said the Zora.

Vire stared at it before barking at the others working on the dissection. "You lot, over here now." Without hesitation, the Zoras abandoned their gruesome chore and ran to the head to await instruction. "We'll need at least three of us to open him up. Some of you get on either side to hold its mouth open, it might very well be one of those snapping jaw types. Ready now? Use your harpoons as levers."

With that they went to work. Four Zoras plunged their harpoons into the mouth, finding purchase between the teeth and sticking them in far before pushing down. As the mouth was parted a pair of Zoras stuck hooks into the creature's lips and pulled on the handles, holding it wide.

Vire oversaw the progression, his eyes sparking when he saw something pale lying on the lower jaw. "Keep it up men." He Leaned in, avoiding the teeth as best he could, and grasped the figure by the waist. He pulled her out and carried her over to a relatively flat area of rock before unwrapping the ugly tongue that was coiled around her legs and ankles.

The Zoras released the creature and its jaw automatically snapped shut. To his relief the procedure had cleared Baralanthos of his wolfish grin. This way he looked more like any normal dead fish.

Vire bent to check for signs of life. "Jake! Go call the others back, inform them that we've found her. Myra, bring me the medical supplies, we need a red potion."

The Zoras did as he commanded and soon Vire was shoving the potion between the woman's teeth, forcing it down her throat. He'd found a heartbeat and breath, now he just had to make sure she didn't bleed out.

He took her in, scrutinizing her. Blood covered her both on her back and front, too much for her to have survived if it was all hers. From the shredded clothing on her back he could assume that that was where the greater portion of her injuries lay. She was dirty, her hair a tangle of knots, having at some point come loose from a braid or a tail.

He could tell the moment consciousness had returned to her as she regained her senses and spluttered and coughed at the liquid entering her mouth.

Vire pulled the bottle away and waited for her to open her eyes and gather her bearings. No need to send her into panic.

Her eyes were sky blue and they flickered anxiously as they surveyed his face then darted around to determine their location.

"Helerra…?"

He raised an eyebrow at her use of the Queen's name. "Safe and fully restored to good health. I presume you have some part to play in that?"

The woman hummed softly, relaxing in his hold, placing complete trust in him, a total stranger. She shouldn't be so complacent with him. Contrary to popular belief, there existed some Zoras who one should never lower their guard around. Zoras like Solas Flannery who he'd been hunting for years now, the worst kind of convict.

He finished giving her the red potion then another Zora helped him set about looking over her wounds. Her tunic was practically torn off her torso, almost revealing parts that he was certain Hylians weren't supposed to in public, even though most of it was covered in a mix of crimson and blackish blood.

Hastily and with a sense of professionalism about him, he rid her of her tunic and wrapped her up in sterile bindings. The medicine bag was waterproof so all of the equipment had been kept safely dry. He and the other Zora then bundled her up in two layers of blankets.

"We have to get her to the surface to properly treat her," said Myra. "I don't need to explain how bad this place is for sanitation."

It was a tricky business from thereon. They constructed a small float with part of the creature's hide and laid her down on it, stretched between four Zoras, to carry her above water across the lake. Vire held onto her as they were then carried up with the pulley system that had been hastily put together at the entrance of the lake cavern. The easiest part was carrying her down the tunnels, making sure not to jostle her or bump her into the walls. The hardest part was getting her the rest of the way to the surface.

Beforehand, to his knowledge there'd only been one entrance to the cavern, before the Queen had appeared and told him differently that is. However, the Queen had only teleported to the second entrance, she didn't know how to get there from the inside of the cave, and Vire didn't fancy looking around for hours on end in the hopes that they eventually stumbled across it. There was no choice then but to head to the Lake bottom entrance at Lake Hylia. That would include them submerging fully underwater for a minimum of five minutes, depending on how fast they swam.

Lake Hylia's water was undeniably much cleaner than the black lake's, but there'd still be risk of infection if the Hylian's wounds have not sealed up by then. And then there was the frigidity, and the wetness overall would not be doing anything to help. All of that combined would leave her immune system at a low.

They paused right before the water tunnel exit so that Myra could attempt to clean out the Hylian's wounds and rewrap them firmly. The male Zoras all politely looked away for this.

Vire stood a ways away from his Zoras. Jake broke off from the group of huddling Zoras and joined him in staring abjectly at the pool of dark water before them.

"I don't know who she is, but she's clothed like an assassin," said Jake quietly, looking to the Zora Knight. "What do you think the Queen wants with her?"

Vire sighed and sent Jake a sidelong glance. "Go wake the Hylian. It's better she be conscious for this. Can't have her accidently choking herself when she wakes up under water."

Giving him a shallow look, Jake saluted in Zora fashion and went to do as told. When Vire walked over to them the girl was lucid and met his eyes with steady determination.

"There will be no stopping through the underwater tunnels. There are no air holes there so you better hope you can sustain your breath for the time needed to leave this dreary place," he stated in a direct manner.

Her only response was a nod, as if she was saving breath for what was to come. Either that or she had very little energy to spend on speaking.

"Let's not delay until she dies of infection now," he snapped, causing his squad to jerk to attention and gather their equipment.

Vire was quick to swoop in and take the Hylian from a younger Zora. He cradled her in his arms and met the Zora's perplexed gaze sternly.

"The strongest swimmer should be the one to carry the burden," he said in explanation.

"Yes, Sir Vire," said the Zora in reply.

Vire clutched her loosely as he walked to the edge of the entrance tunnel, the waters still and dark. That was only one of the reasons why he took to carry himself, the other was that she was an unfamiliar face and he didn't trust her one bit. Although there were some Zoras who'd gone rogue and became corrupted with their selfish pursuits, the ratio compared to Hylians was incomparable. More Hylians have gone bad and caused devastation in the lands than any of the other races combined. Queen Zora had said to retrieve her and make sure she lived, but she never said she was why or that she could be trusted.

She flinched as he shuffled her in his arms for a better grip, then dove without even the slightest warning. He could feel the water shift as the others dove in after him and they all swam down the tunnel. The Hylian tensed and remained stock still in his hold. It came to him that he hadn't even given her time to take a deep breath before he'd set off.

With a flick of his fins he pushed them into a tailspin, shooting down the tunnel. The walls drew apart and widened as they reached the open waters at the bottom of the lake. By then the Hylian was struggling in his grasp, fighting to break away and reach air. He kept her grasped tightly against his chest and zoomed upward.

He broke through the surface and shoved her upward. The Hylian gasped and drew breath in and out in heavy heaves as if she couldn't get enough. Her struggles had sapped the last of her strength, exhausted as she was it was easy to pull her along to the shore.

Camp was set up by the banks on the closest island. More splashes could be heard as the rest of his team arrived and followed him landward.

Queen Helerra stood there imperiously in the shallows. Her hip was wrapped up tightly with layers of white fabric and even from afar it was evident that she favored her left side over her right, her posture slanted ever so slightly.

"Aha! There you are, you lout Vire!" she shot at him, leaning forward. "I was just about to jump in a go after you."

From the look of the Zora ensemble standing behind her, he could tell that they were infinitely grateful that he'd arrived in time to prevent that. Many shoulders were slumping in relief, their faces reflecting a tired resignation. It was just like their Queen to run off on her own and abuse her authority so that none could do anything to help her. Sometimes he just wanted to defy her, toss her orders aside and do whatever was needed to keep her bloody safe. She was their Queen! If she fell, her people fell as well.

"Your majesty-" he started as he climbed up to shore and handed the Hylian over to the awaiting medics.

"Oh good, you found the strange Hylian!" Helerra exclaimed, her vaguely vibrant demeanor, which constituted as bright and cheerful in her case, suddenly morphed into one of bitterness. "Now I can murder her myself!"

He followed as she stormed up to where the Hylian was placed on a makeshift cot near the remains of a fireplace.

"You mean you don't even know who it is you sent us after?" he said, thoroughly frustrated.

"What does it matter!" shot Helerra. "She sent me off when I had the beast right where I wanted it! I would have killed it myself without her interference!"

He raised a skeptical eye at her. With wounds like hers? Not likely. But he didn't dare tell her so.

"By the way, _is_ the beast dead?" Helerra pressed, hovering over three medic Zoras as they tended to the Hylian.

Vire looked away as they ripped off the last bit of the Hylian's shirt and began unwrapping her wounds. Overall, the Hylian was quiet and didn't say much of anything. She accepted another bottle of red potion and washed it down with clean water before she lay her head on her folded arms and seemingly concentrated on her breathing.

"Er – yes, the Hylian defeated it. Baralanthos lies dead in the flood cavern," he muttered distractedly. He felt rather contrite referring to the woman as 'the Hylian' and talking about her not even five steps away from her where she could clearly hear.

The Queen scoffed. "Baralanthos? Is that what everybody's calling it? Couldn't have it trimmed down to anything shorter could you? Fen or Dattra are both decent names."

"They're the names of your pet koi fish," he muttered absently.

"And I named them when I was eleven, even then I had good taste," she said, unconsciously placing her hands on her hips and wincing as she met the semi healed puncture marks.

"Your majesty, you should be resting," said Vire, and he along with another Zora carefully helped to lower her to sit on the ground, her back pressed against a log.

"You think putting pressure on it helps?!" shot Helerra, adjusting so that she leaned on her uninjured side.

Vire stuttered an apology, flustered as he was.

"Queen Helerra…"

The tired voice could only come from the Hylian woman. She had raised her head, bright blue eyes meeting the obsidian ones of the Queen as they flashed toward her. Helerra furrowed her brow and jerked her chin up, trying to look as imposing as possible in her lying down and somewhat in pain position.

"I'm glad you're alright," said the woman, completely shocking Vire, noble Zora Knight of Zora's Domain.

Helerra's eyes softened and she quirked what was undeniably a genuine smile back at the Hylian as if they were lifelong friends of equal status. It was all perplexing to Vire.

"Heh, you're just glad I was there to send the troops in after you. You'd be dead otherwise," said the Queen. Her tone was in a lighthearted manner, for once empty of scorn or sarcasm or irritation or a million other negative euphemisms.

Perplexing indeed.

* * *

><p>The trail became narrow as they descended the gorge. Link was almost against bringing the horses along but he didn't want to make time to locate a habited area where they could be deposited for a short while. Unlike Epona, he couldn't just leave these mounts to wander off by themselves. They were not bred for the wild, they were too easily spooked by the sight of predators and did not know how to fight them or how to shake them off were they to run.<p>

Their only option was to hitch them somewhere by the lake. Not many monsters roamed around Lake Hylia, and there'd be grass and water aplenty.

Link took a moment in their hike to gaze out over the grand vista of the lake. The high sun shone its radiance above the waters; sparkling jets of light hit the surface and caused it to glow like a million tiny diamonds. Down below he could see the abundant terrain that surrounded the lake. The lake itself went on for miles. It would take half a day of swimming to cross it, this he knew from personal experience.

It was an amazing sight, like always. He could never get enough of it.

"Spectacular, isn't it, hero?" said Frayne, looking back from ahead of him. From the rear of the procession he could hear a scoff.

"Seen it once, seen it a hundred times," said Zellandus, tugging at the reigns of his horse more firmly as the beast hesitated at a sharp dip in the path. "What's the point of staring at it any longer? It's something that only poets and tragic lovers do."

Link hitched his breath at the mention of tragic lovers and nudged his horse forward. They were almost at the bottom, then they would progress more speedily.

"No love in your life, is there highness?" said Frayne speculatively.

Zellandus mumbled something incoherent then responded snidely. "No there isn't. And there's no point longing for what you don't have. When it happens it happens! No sense waiting around for it."

_No sense longing for what you don't have_… What about something you had? Or something you could have? If they did find Zelda, could he rebuild his relationship with her? He was willing to give anything to fix it. No matter what Zellandus said, this longing wouldn't leave him. He was a starving man without her. He needed her badly. So badly…

They arrived an hour later at the bottom of the gorge and removed the tack and bags from their horses. Leaving enough lead for them to roam around a bit, they then tied the horses up to a slim but sturdy tree.

Link patted his horse's nose in a small farewell as Frayne took the lead as they headed to the flood cavern.

They marched on, Link trudging his boots silently.

"There something the matter, Link?" said Zellandus, pulling up beside him. "You look like you're moping about something."

Link simply stared at the ground. "I was just thinking about…" Thinking about your sister… But perhaps it was wiser not to mention that.

His shadow shifted from beneath him. Laval was again putting pressure on his mind trying to speak with him, but Link shut him out. Recently he just hadn't been in the mood to speak with his shadow companion. Laval remembered Zelda now, he must know who she was to him, but Link was not yet ready to speak of that. He was just glad that Laval only tried to contact him quietly so that they wouldn't be overheard.

A comforting hand descended on his shoulder. Link didn't have to turn to know that it was Zellandus.

"Cheer up, Link," the Prince spoke calmly. "I'm sure the Zoras won't mind some good Hyllian interference. Seems like all the different races depend on ours. Pride, recklessness and all that, they just don't have as much as we do."

Link scoffed. "It's not Hylian help they need. It's the hero."

Zellandus abruptly removed his hand. "Well, aren't you the special one."

The hero merely shrugged. "It's the truth. When trouble arises and threatens the fall of the Zoras and Gorons it heralds the fall of Hyrule itself. Only the hero of legend can vanquish the evil that has poisoned their domains and set the land free. This is as it has been for generations. It is my fate with each rebirth."

"Riiiight," Zellandus drawled, his tone uninterested. "I suppose being the special one, the one chosen by the Goddesses, would be enough to give one an inflamed ego."

"Believe me, your highness, one does not need the blessings of the Goddesses to possess such an ego," said Frayne from the front of the procession.

Link couldn't hide his smirk as he chuckled.

"If you are insinuating what I think you are, then know that I am not amused," said Zellandus flatly. "Not in the slightest."

Suddenly Frayne halted, leaving Link to step up beside her and causing Zellandus to almost walk into him.

Frayne was looking out over the lake. Both men followed her gaze to a small island west of the center. A few trees sprouted up from it's soil, and a plume of smoke from a campfire coiled steadily in the air.

The Prince gazed at the island then looked along the beach and sighed. "I had assumed there'd be boats waiting for us nearby. I don't really fancy a swim."

"Incapable are you?" asked Frayne, stepping into the water. "Or perhaps you are concerned for your expensive apparel? Not that you don't have fifty other similar items in the castle…"

Zellandus frowned. "If I wanted to I could rip my clothing to shreds every day for the rest of my life and still be able to afford more."

"Let's not waste time prattling all day," said Link, as he stepped into the water and pushed off.

"Now you sound like Brula," said Zellandus, also getting in the water. "I despise that tone."

Frayne swam beneath them as they made their way toward the island closest to where the flood cavern was situated. As they neared Link could see a gathering of Zoras in the water and on the island itself, all armed with harpoons.

Even though he disliked her, he hoped the Queen was alright and that no more of her people had been taken by the sea creature.

* * *

><p>She had been there for a full day and a half, recuperating and watching Helerra order a team to retrieve the remains of the creature Baralanthos. It was a difficult project by the looks of it. From what she overheard of the operation they had to devise a sturdier pulley system within the tunnels, with crates to carry up the beasts' chopped up parts. As was accustomed to the Zoras, Baralanthos' heart had been encased in a shell box to be taken to Zoras Domain and frozen in one of their ancient tombs. This was so that Baralanthos could not be resurrected and used as an evil puppet as many beasts of similar nature often were.<p>

That was the only respect they paid to the beast. The remaining body parts would be used to benefit their society. Queen Zora had already commissioned a robe to be made out of its hide. She had offered to have one made for Zelda but the thought was somewhat uncomfortable to her. Cow or deer hide she had little issue with, but clothes made of something as savage as _that_ was unsettling. It almost seemed as if the malice would seep from the leather into her skin and somehow infect her.

If anything, Helerra was most insistent. She had Zelda's measurements taken anyways and added that she'd be sure the tailors would get rid of the scales and smell. In addition a pair of daggers were also being crafted for her out of the creature's fangs – the very ones that had shredded her back, she was told.

Zelda smiled as she watched her friend discuss the outline of a map they were creating for the tunnels. A group had been sent in earlier that day to explore every inch of the labyrinth and jot it all down on paper. The Zoras proved the best suited for that purpose since they were the only ones who could get to every part of it. Some places were completely under water and others held small hollows created by smaller subterranean creatures.

Helerra was making sure to extort every benefit possible from the incident. The tunnels could come in very handy someday.

A shadow swooped over her as she was resting near the fire. It was full daylight, but a fire was needed to chase away the autumn chill. The Zoras didn't need it as much and generally stayed away from the flames, not wanting to singe their scales.

Helerra plunked down beside her and began to fiddle with her favorite coral necklace.

"How are you feeling?" she began conversationally. "Almost at full health and mana?"

Zelda smiled and hummed softly. "Unfortunately not, but I will be within another day or so." She pushed herself off the ground, wiping some stray grass off her breeches and new jerkin the Zoras had provided her. "For now I am well enough to be on my way."

Helerra regarded her in disbelief. "You can't seriously be leaving?" she asked bluntly. "I know what I said to you before, but the fact is it was _you_ who took down the great Baralanthos, it is _you_ who will be our guest of honor at the celebration tonight."

Zelda turned to her sharply. "Celebration?"

"Oh please," said Helerra almost snidely. "What did you think we were going to do with all that meat? Store it _all_ away? We've already stocked up for the winter, and this much will cause our storage houses to overflow. We've portioned it out so that a good chunk of it goes to the Hylians, and some we have to trade abroad. That leaves us with more than enough for ten feasts!"

Zelda didn't know what to say. Would it be too rude of her to refuse and leave on her own anyways? If she were still the Princess, then perhaps, or rather, if she were still the Princess she would have told Helerra how the whole thing was irritating and they'd have the feast anyways, after Helerra called her many foul names.

As an anonymous being, however, it was quite within her right to do whatever she wished - almost. It wasn't like Helerra was going to track her down and arrest her for refusing.

"I really think I should be going," said Zelda, unconsciously reaching out to pat the Queen's arm, before coming to her senses and retracting it. She respectfully bowed to the Queen, one hand behind her back, the other in front then turned to walk away.

"Spoil sport," shot Helerra. "At least accept some provisions for this _great_ journey of yours."

Zelda hesitated, tempted by the offer. She had lost her pack somewhere in the tunnels. Maybe it would be best to wait so she could gather some things to bring with her.

She swerved around and bowed to the Queen once more. "I accept your offer, your majesty."

The Zora Queen sighed and fingered her necklace. "Being benevolent is almost as tiring as being wise, witty, and talented. It is good that some people know how to show their appreciation around here."

Zelda smiled and waited as Helerra ordered a pack be readied for her, filled with food, a skin of water, and a few bottles of red potion.

"We don't really have an abundance of clothing or I would have some more of those shirt things packed for you as well," Helerra said forlornly, and snatched a small sack that a Zora held out for her. It jingled as she bounced it in her hand then proffered it to Zelda. "But this should take care of that."

Zelda felt the sack, in it was a tidy sum of rupees. Instinctively she opened her mouth to voice her refusal of the gift, but snapped it shut when she considered that any more refusals and Helerra might just have her head – figuratively of course.

Instead she bowed lower than she had before. "I am truly grateful for this."

"Pish posh. If anything it is we who should be grateful to you," said Helerra flippantly. She then looked away. "My pride must have run off for a while. Otherwise I wouldn't be saying this to you. Vire!"

The Zora who had overseen Zelda's retrieval glided over and bent into a deep bow. Vire's was a face that Zelda knew well. He'd always been in the Zora Queen's procession on feast days, now he probably led the procession. It had been years since she'd seen him last.

"Sir Vire, you shall escort our Hylian guest to Hyrule field, afterwards you shall return to the Domain where I shall meet you shortly. Make sure Joran has not had an aneurysm in my absence. "

Vire fixed Zelda with an apathetic look then turned back to the Queen. "As you command."

Zelda shouldered her new pack and followed after Vire as they made their way to the island's edge. Helerra trailed after them, arms crossed and shouting orders at whichever Zora got too near to her.

From the east side of the island, one of the Zoras jogged up to them. "Your majesty, two Hylians have just arrived. They are accompanied by Lady Frayne."

Helerra growled low. "What is Frayne doing with a pair of _Hylians_? No offense." She directed at Zelda who shrugged and turned to face the water.

She gazed over the expanse of Lake Hylia, momentarily blinded as the light reflecting off the surface shone bright in her eyes. She squinted as she peered across, calculating the length of the swim she had to look forward to.

Dimly she registered the sound of more footsteps behind her but it didn't hold any concern until that one word was spoken.

"Zelda?"

It was like a cold hand had grasped her heart and squeezed, spreading its icy tendrils through her arteries and rendering her stiff. Against her will, and against her common sense, she turned around.

There stood Link, the last person she wanted to see. He was frozen on the spot, lips pressed together in a tight line, eyes wide and expressing both disbelief and wonder.

Along with the utterance of her name, she realized that she did not have her mask on. There was nothing to hide herself from him.

Link…

He was here!

What should she say to him? What should she do? He wasn't supposed to be here, he wasn't supposed to find out. In the span of a few seconds everything had fallen to pieces. It was clear to her that Link remembered her, even as the world had forgotten.

She wanted to run to him, forget she had ever decided to leave him and all thoughts of him forever, she wanted to eliminate that space between them and hold him in her arms. But another part of her, a bitter unrelenting part, wanted nothing more than to snub him openly and crush his spirit.

She chose neither option.

The Zora Queen swiped her eyes over the both of them intently, her chin cradled by her fingers in a thinking pose. "Ah, so that is your name. Funny how it was never mentioned until now."

Eyes narrowing with apparent determination, Link took a bold step forward. "It is you, isn't it?"

Zelda smiled wanly. Both of them knew he wasn't mistaken. Her likeness remained similar over each reincarnation. And if that wasn't enough, the recognition in her eyes and reaction to her name would have confirmed it.

A few meters off, her dear younger brother gazed at her with less bewilderness and more cheerfulness. He was less hesitant with his welcome. "Sister! How I have missed you so!"

Sky blue eyes widened as she took in the familiarity in her brother's tone. "You… you recognize me?"

At that Zellandus' brow steepened into a frown and a look of utter malice passed his face. "That's right, some dastardly wizard placed a spell on everyone. You've been forgotten by all of your people. But fear not, the gracious Lady Frayne has helped to remedy that problem, for a few of us at least. I never imagined we'd find you here, of all places."

From the rear, Lady Frayne ducked her head and cast her eyes away.

Zelda looked on horrified. This wasn't supposed to happen!

Unconsciously she fingered that smooth stone secured to a chord around her neck. Of all the things she had lost in the caverns she was grateful that she had this.

"This is a mistake," she said waveringly, voice fringing on the edge of hysteria. "You're not supposed to know me."

Link's eyes grew wide with alert and he moved toward her sharply. "Zelda, please-"

Her hand fisted around the stone as she darted back out of his reach. "You can't know me!" Her thumb swiped across the stone's surface and the air fragmented into particles around her before she was charted away. Briefly she thought she heard the sound of a resounding "NO!" hit her ears before all became quiet.

The world reconstructed itself and cool mountain air greeted her as she stumbled to her knees in the snow. She gasped and bent over, clutching at her head, her emotions in turmoil.

It took an enormous effort to stand up again but once on her feet her steps became firm, the harsh cold air helped clear her head and return her to rational thought. She forcefully evicted the startling image of Link from her mind. The expression on his face lingered momentarily then drifted away that a leaf on the wind… before returning with the force of a deadly tornado.

Why had he looked at her like that? How could his face have anything but scorn and malice on it? But instead he had looked so…

She felt worn, and not just from the fading cuts and bruises that dotted her body, but emotionally as well.

She let herself in the mansion, ignoring the bell chord for Jeffrey, and swept up the stairs and down the hall.

This changed things. Her spell over Hyrule was being nullified by the Zoran priestess, she was now affiliated with Queen Helerra and her name was no longer unknown, and Link, who possessed all knowledge of their previous lifetimes, had seen her and now knew of her existence when she'd gone to great pains to make sure nobody would know.

On her way to her room she passed Dasril's office, the door left ajar by a tiny sliver. Upon peering inside she caught a slice of Dasril's profile as he sat by the hearth, twirling a lick of fire idly around his hand and between each finger.

She needed reassurance. She needed it so badly and Dasril was the only one who she trusted to give it to her.

Pressing a hand against the lacquered wood of the door, she pushed it gently open and went in. Dasril's head snapped around at the sound of her entry and the fire he'd been playing with instantly disappeared.

"Oh, Zelda, you've returned…"

Without inhibition, she walked over and settled herself near him on the settee, leaning her head against his shoulder and inhaling the musky scent of him. A second later she felt the weight of a pair of well-muscled arms as they wrapped around her, encompassing her in a world of warmth. She closed her eyes and nuzzled into the fabric of his shirt fondly.

It didn't happen often, but once in a while, after particularly trying voyages, she'd return so exhausted of life in general that physical affection was needed to soothe her. How deprived she had been as princess and queen, how sad that it was that she had never allowed herself the comfort of a simple embrace, fearing that rumors would start and assumptions would be made. Any embrace shared with a male not her husband or relative was evidence of adultery, and any shared with her husband or relatives was a show of feebleness. How she had hated that one time she had hugged Link in public, the way her court had sighed and sympathized that life as a Queen was too stressful, which resulted in the ministers urging her to rest and share more of the workload with them.

But here none of that mattered. Dasril understood, and he did not judge. Secretly she thought that sometimes he wanted a hug almost as much as she did. But of course he'd never ask for one from his princess.

"What happened to you? You smell of lake water and your hair is out of order."

Zelda smiled into his shirt. That certainly was a nice way of putting 'you reek' and 'you're a complete mess'.

She sighed. "I saw Link."

She felt Dasril's arms tense around her. "Oh, and that is why you are in this state? Shall I have to duel him, my Lady?"

"No," she said hurriedly. "No, I was like this before he came. He saw me, Dasril. He knows who I am. Both he and Zellandus."

"Someone has broken you spell?" said Dasril breathlessly.

Zelda inhaled deeply and let herself linger a moment longer. After a short while she pushed away from him. Dasril released her slowly and met her eyes.

She smiled wanly at him. "Partially, I believe." Her eyes gazed past him, through the window and at the winter vista that lay before them. "I should go freshen up, and find clothes that better suit me. There is much to do."

Now that Link and Zellandus knew about her she would need to hurry along the rate of her plans.

She stood and Dasril practically jumped to his feet. "Would you like me to escort you to your rooms?"

"I appreciate it, but that won't be necessary." Wearily she trudged across the study to the door, Dasril at her heels.

"Are you to depart directly afterwards then?" he asked. "I would like to see you before you go."

Zelda turned and placed her hand lightly on his arm. "If you so desire it, I will."

He backed off then, giving her the space she needed. She had got her comfort, and right now what she wanted was to be alone. Although his concern for her welfare was a welcome gesture.

"Don't worry Dasril," Zelda said reassuringly. "It's not like anything is going to happen to me between now and the time I leave."

She spun away and headed down the hall. From in the doorway, Dasril watched on as she grew farther and farther away. He slipped a hand into his overcoat and fingered the item within, eyes blazing in the lamplight.

* * *

><p>"Why did you let her go?! What in Hyrule compelled you to do that!" Link shouted, hands fisted and teeth ground as he gave the Queen Zora the lashing of a lifetime, one that it seemed she was not willing to sit back and endure.<p>

Both arcs above the eye where her eyebrows should be shot up in ill concealed affront. "What compelled me? What COMPELLED ME? Was I supposed to know you wanted me to stop her? What did you want me to do? Hold her here against her will? Tie her up in ropes? It's not like I knew she was a spurned lover of yours. I'm no mind reader – although our Zoran wizards are currently looking into the possibilities of that…"

"Link, just calm down, I'm not too happy about this either, but look at me, I'm not panicking."

Zellandus' words seeped into his mind before he turned and directed his enthused anger at the Prince. "And why are you not concerned? Zelda was here, not three feet away from me and she left. She's your sister, shouldn't you be more upset?"

At that, Zellandus' face became grim. "I _am_ upset. I haven't seen her in years, yet the moment we find her, she runs off and I don't know why."

Link looked away and scowled. Zellandus hadn't seen her in years, but it was him who hadn't seen her in decades, nearly a century.

"But," said Zellandus, his voice going soft. "She's safe. She's unharmed, relatively that is. We found her in the company of good people and she has a means to teleport and escape dangerous situations. That is why I am happy."

Gradually, Link's posture relaxed and he exhaled a long debilitating sigh. Zellandus pointed out very good facts. But still… He didn't even get to properly speak with her. Why had she run? What did she mean by those words?

_You can't know me!_

Even now they resonated in his head like the cruel stabs of a knife.

As if thinking along the same lines, Zellandus spoke up. "Although I do worry for her sanity. You would have thought we were beasts the way she acted toward us. No, 'good to see you, brother', or 'how are you doing this flippin' day after two or so whole years of abandonment?'. Hah, Brula would have had her head for poor mannerism."

His tone was light, but Link could hear the worry in his speech. The way she had acted towards them was unnerving at best, and somewhat frightening.

"Well, if we're done with this sappy moment, I'd like to get home before nightfall," said Helerra, flicking her head fin back brazenly. She met Link's eyes. "Is there anything you need, great hero?"

Link looked over the group of Zoras standing behind their Queen. Helerra had briefly recounted her experience down in the flood cavern with Zelda before he'd completely flipped out. Knowing that she was still injured, despite the rest and red potions she had been drinking, did much to ignite his anger. Cool rationality took precedence now. He had two goals: find Zelda and find Ganondorf. He would accomplish the former first.

"Not unless you know where she warped, there's nothing you can do," he muttered silently.

His eyes briefly slid over to Frayne, who looked back at him nonchalantly. So this was why she had said that both he and Zellandus had to go to Lake Hylia. She might not have known outright, but something in her knew that Zelda would be here. That was the reason for her abrupt decision.

Helerra's smooth voice penetrated his thoughts. "Actually hero, there is something I can do. I may not know where she is, but I do have a way of knowing."

Two pairs of pointed Hylian ears pricked up, their attention grabbed.

"The Zora priestess! I'd forgotten," said Zellandus in fervor.

Helerra scowled. "No you pompous idiot! Frayne doesn't control her visions, she can only induce them."

"Then make her have a vision!"

"Oh yes," said Frayne blandly. "I'll just require candles and incense, an altar, and does anyone have a sacrificial animal on them?"

Link frowned. "You don't really need all those. I've known priests and priestesses. They only need prayer. That or meditation."

"And as I said, Frayne doesn't control her visions, she doesn't decide what she see's," Helerra rebuffed. "And even if she did, it might just show her a room or a forest, which would provide little help with determining your Zelda's actual location."

Zellandus quirked an eyebrow and turned to Link. "_Your_ Zelda?"

The Queen hitched her shoulder and looked at them snidely. "I however, have a means of locating her exact position. Be prepared for a long walk, and wear something warm. I have a feeling you'll be needing it."

Zellandus and Link exchanged glances, before looking back at the smirking Queen.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well, here it is. Link and Zelda meet, although it's not as dramatic as I wanted it to be. No fluff yet, but it's coming. Both Link and Zelda have to work for it.**

**Note about this teleporting stuff just in case people become confused. Farore's wind only teleports people out of caves or dungeons. The stone Zelda has can only work out in the open, sort of like Midna's warping, except she can only teleport to the mansion. Get it? Got it? Good!**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: I'm sorry, I know I've been slow paced so far, but I promise these next few chapters a ton of things will be revealed. Just bear with me ^^'**

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><p><span>Chapter 20<span>

Link was stewing. After so many years of endless waiting, and after months of uncertainty and worry, she'd been there! Right in front of him! And then, like a light snuffed out by the darkness, she'd gone. Left! Teleported away to some distant location that he was unaware of.

It was infuriating!

If only he'd been faster, if only he'd caught her before she had run. And wasn't that the thousand rupee question? Why had she run? Why had she said those things? It had been bothering him for hours now, the question repeated like a mantra in his head. Why? Why? Why? WHY?

His gut clenched uncomfortably as he recalled her screaming for the thousandth time.

_You can't know me!_

Why? Why couldn't he know her?

His eyes squeezed shut as he clenched his fist, turning away from the small envoy that the Queen Zora had arranged for them. Another two Zoras were taking care of the horses they'd ridden on to get here.

It was simple. They'd all be taken up to Zora's Domain, riding on the back of her Zoras. Once there she'd provide them with the means of locating Zelda – whatever that may be.

Involuntarily, his thoughts again returned to Zelda, as they'd been prone to do recently every other minute or so. She'd looked so wary, so afraid. Link couldn't help but ponder what might have happened to her. What had she gone through these past two years to turn out this way? Didn't she remember him at all? Yes, he'd seen recognition in her eyes, but she hadn't been happy to see him. No, instead she'd been filled with…

Dread. Her eyes had been filled with dread as she'd looked at him.

It wasn't that she was confused, or troubled; she simply _hadn't_ _wanted_ to see him.

His gut clenched painfully at the thought. Why had she not wanted to see him? Him and Zellandus both?

He shook his head. He couldn't come up with any reason for it. Unless… she could be a prisoner. Whoever had erased Hyrule's memories of its princess must have captured her somehow and were using her for some foul purpose. He wouldn't put it past Ganondorf to have orchestrated all of this. And now that they'd seen her... Goddesses! Would punishment awaited her now? Is that why she'd been so full of horror at the sight of them?

They had to find her as quickly as possible. They had no choice. If there was even the slightest chance that Zelda was in danger…

"Hero. Hero?"

Blue eyes blinked open to stare at the pair of round black ones before him. Frayne watched him calculative, her face void of emotion. She indicated to the small group of Zoras near the falls.

"They are ready to leave. If you wish to go with them you'd best get moving."

His brow pinched in puzzlement. "You're not coming?"

Frayne's eyes drifted to the gathering of Zoras before swerving back. "I would only slow you down. My place is here, in the temple so that I may pray. Word will be sent by hawk if I have any new visions deemed of relative importance."

Link could sense that this wasn't quite what she wanted. At any rate, he bowed low to her, showing her his deepest respect. "Thank you for all of your assistance and support."

She narrowed her eyes, the first flicker of emotion he'd ever gleaned from her. Then she dipped into her own bow, lower than Link's, bent at almost a ninety-degree angle. "On behalf of my brethren and all who have come before me, I thank _you_ for your services to Hyrule. We've been saved by you many times hero. There is nothing to give that is adequate repayment. We have but our loyalty and friendship to offer you."

Link shifted uncomfortably and glanced back at Zellandus, hoping he was not witnessing this. A steady hue of red rose to the tips of his ears and he fought it down sternly. He placed a hesitant hand on the priestess' shoulder, a finger away from where her odd headtail was draped.

"Loyalty and friendship are gifts beyond value. I am…honored to serve Hyrule in any way I can, and I feel honored by your thanks," he said, color fading as his mouth formed a thin smile. "When only a few know your true identity, appreciation is hard to come by, so yours is very much cherished."

Frayne rose and nodded. "I'll pray for your swift reunion with the princess. You are bearers of the same gift. Wisdom and courage can never be separated for long."

Link retained his soft smile until the priestess had moved to the edge of the lake and dove under, her two bodyguards jumping in after her. Then any sign of happiness vanished.

He sighed and passed a calloused hand through his hair. Not separated for long? Over seven decades was too long to be separated.

Dear Farore, when he got his hands on Zelda he'd…

There'd be a lot of talking of course. He wasn't much for talking, had always been a man of action before word, but for her he'd put up with it. There were many things that needed to be sorted. Many unsaids that needed to be said. And then… oh, then… he'd show her just how much of a man of action he was. He'd do many unspeakable things to her – with her. Not even her stern inhibitions would hold him back. For once he'd be in full control, and he'd do whatever damn well pleased him, because he was tired of sacrifice. Damn her queenship, damn her country, damn her court and damn her! No longer would he sacrifice his wants in favor of propriety, in favor of her comfort. That is what had made their relationships stagnant and boring. No, he wouldn't have it. No more sacrifice. He'd show her how much he loved her his way, and in return he'd force her to show him how much she loved him in her own way. No more holding back! He'd tear down that impenetrable wall of hers, cross her canyon of a line, and bring them both to bliss.

Link inhaled sharply as his body naturally reacted to his train of thought. Quickly he cleared his mind, forcing himself to calm down. It was a good thing he was a way's off from the rest of the group, otherwise someone might have noticed. He had a disturbing feeling that Queen Helerra might have savored his brief lack of control.

He couldn't carry out these fantasies if Zelda was in danger. First and foremost he had to find her, to bring her back and keep her safe.

The boiling in his blood completely receded at that thought. Just knowing that Zelda could be in trouble riled his anger to the point of eruption.

Firmly, he clenched his jaw and squared his shoulders. He trod up the short incline to where the others were huddled in discussion. It seemed Helerra wanted to take the fewest people possible back to the Domain while her soldiers wanted her to be flanked by a ring of guards. It appeared that the whole flood cavern ordeal had put her people through a short fright and they were anxious about leaving her unguarded for any amount of time.

"For the last time no! Final say! I'm Queen, obey me now!"

A stern looking Zoran knight by the name of Sir Vire appeared as though he was making an effort not to show signs of frustration. Link could well sympathize with him.

"At least allow me to accompany you," said Sir Vire. He threw a glance at Link. "Without burden. Your majesty should not be the only free swimming Zora to go up the falls."

The Queen narrowed her eyes at him and huffed. "Very well. As long as you shut up about it. Frankly, your blatant lack of confidence in my capabilities annoys me."

She spun on her heel then headed toward the falls. The rest followed silently afterward, not daring to so much as talk amongst themselves lest they incur the wrath of their moody Queen.

They all entered the water, Zellandus shivering at the frigidity of it.

"This is exactly what I despise about autumn. The day may be warm or otherwise pleasant, but come nightfall…"

Indeed, the slowly descending sun brought chills to the earth as little by little all the warmth disappeared with it. Link was reminded that winter was almost upon them. Soon traveling by waterway would not be the wisest route.

With Sir Vire and Helerra in the lead, they sped up the waterfall, pushing upriver as they made their way to Heron Lake. By the time they reached the Domain it was full dark and Link's anxiety climbed to new heights

He prayed that wherever Zelda was it was at least safe and away from the dangers of the night.

He and the Prince were given quarters to bathe and dress in new clothing while the Queen went off to retrieve something. They waited in the antechamber with only Sir Vire as company. A shrewd looking Zora, he had a no nonsense attitude about him and would take no part in the quips that Zellandus threw at him to pass the time. He must have been the first Zora of this era that Link had met who lacked the gutter mind that Link had recently associated with their race.

There was little to be done as they waited for the Queen.

Link hated waiting. If it was not a stealth mission than he found it impossible to abide.

To occupy his time he resorted to pacing and while he did this he strategized.

Queen Helerra swung open the door and entered the room just as the beginnings of a new furrow was starting to form in the ground.

Link wheeled around and paused at the sight of a hawk resting on her arm, needle like claws pricking her scales but not piercing through. Zora hide was naturally tougher than Hylian skin so she didn't require the requisite hawk glove.

She held her arm aloft, jutting the bird in their faces proudly. "This is Kipper. Say hello, Kipper."

Kipper, the hawk, made no indication that he knew what she was saying and simply ruffled his feathers, staring at them with round yellow eyes.

Link looked askance. Zellandus, however, after a brief pause, smiled and held forth his hand for shaking. "Hello, Kipper!"

Kipper shrieked at the sudden motion and flapped his wings.

"Easy there," Helerra soothed him. "It just typical unreserved Hylian attitude. If you're fortunate you won't have to get used to it."

Zellandus lowered his hand, still smiling. Link flicked his eyes from the Queen Zora to the bird. "I thought we were supposed to be tracking Zelda."

Helerra grinned. "Oh, we are. I'm not about to let that brat get away after such a rude farewell. You want to know where she is? Well I'll admit to you right now, I have no idea where she is. And I have no idea where to look for her. For that you need Kipper."

"Kipper?" Zellandus blinked.

"You see," said Helerra lowly, stroking a finger along the hawk's head. "I've had a short correspondence with your Zelda some weeks ago."

"You what?" shot Link, to which Sir Vire sent a disapproving glance at his volume.

Why did the Zora still linger? Couldn't he tell that this was a private matter?

"Yes, that was before I knew who exactly she was, and her relationship to you, prince Zellandus." Black eyes penetrated Zellandus' sky blue until he was practically squirming where he stood.

Then Link remembered. It had been mentioned that Zelda was his sister. Although it had been in trustworthy company, they couldn't afford to screw up like that again. Until the spell could be completely broken it would be best to not reveal this information to anyone else.

Link was not in the mood to explain it to Helerra.

"You have a sister?" she said coldly, glaring darkly at them. Beside him, Zellandus took a weary step back. "Why doesn't anyone tell me these things?! Goddesses in all the years that I've known you, you could have at least mentioned her once!" She threw up her hand as if beseeching the Goddesses.

Sir Vire cast a frugal glance at the Prince, displaying in that one look his utmost disapproval. "For shame."

Zellandus spluttered and looked back and forth at the two Zoras not knowing how to answer.

In truth, Helerra _had_ probably known about Zelda, Link surmised. It was just the spell had washed all that knowledge away. Poor Zellandus would be the worst person to explain the truth of the matter to them.

Link grit his teeth and clenched his fingers over the hilt of his sword. They were wasting time!

"If you want an answer to that, go ask your priestess," he ground out, earning another dark look from Vire. "For now tell us what the bloody hawk can do."

Recomposing herself, Helerra placed a hand on her hip, lifting the arm with Kipper up slightly. "But isn't it obvious? Don't you see? Kipper is the only one who knows how to find her. He has been used to send missives to her. As long as her little lair hasn't changed in the last month or so, that is how you'll find her. Kipper will lead you right to her."

Link breathed in sharply. At last! They were so close to finding her, his heart pounded at the thought alone.

"And as further proof of my benevolence, I've had Joran already prepare horses with full tack for you at the entrance. Ah yes, the privileges of being sovereign. You may leave as soon as you see fit, however I do recommend you stay the night and rest up before you depart."

Link shared one determined look with Zellandus, who looked at him with equal determination, serving to secure his decision.

"I believe we've been searching long enough," said the Prince, gaze hard and unwavering. "It is time to retrieve Hyrule's true heir to the throne."

Link nodded resolutely. "We leave now."

Helerra glanced back and forth between the two then shook her head. "I can't believe it. After all this time… Sneaky Hylians and their dirty little secrets…"

Helerra thrust her arm aloft and Kipper took wing. He glided the short distance across the room to alight on Link's outstretched arm. Link faintly felt the pressure of talons on his gauntlets, shuffling to find a comfortable grip.

He bowed with untold gratefulness to the Queen, as Zellandus took her hand and kissed it.

"You don't know what this means to us," said the Prince, voice full of emotion. He shifted, sending the Queen a sidelong glance. "Another thing. Er...if a certain short and decrepit looking old hag should chance to stop by…"

Helerra's eyes gleamed brightly. "I'll be sure to treat the Lady Brula with true Zoran hospitality, and relay my regret for having not seen you since you last visited four months ago."

Zellandus beamed at her and kissed her hand again. "Excellent! Four months? My it has been a while. When this is all over with I'll arrange a luncheon for us."

"A splendid idea," responded Helerra brightly.

* * *

><p>"Dasril?"<p>

Said man tensed his shoulders at the soft sounding voice. Another flicker of uncertainty rushed through him. She had a way of doing that to him. Making him question himself, face his course and tempt him to change it.

He turned slightly, enough to see her standing at the door in her nightclothes, a heavy robe flung over her shoulders, her hair unbound and loose. She looked much cleaner now that she had washed and been properly cared for by the servants. They'd seen to it that she had guzzled down a full bottle of red potion, and checked the rest of her body for hidden injuries. Fortunately most of the larger abrasions had been tended to beforehand, so they'd leave little if any scaring.

He pressed his lips together, remembering what the head maid had said of the state of her back. Five slashes from her lower back upward as if someone had dragged a bunch of knives along her skin. They were faded now, but from what he'd gathered they'd once been deep and painful. The maid had not known what to make of it.

Unfortunately, neither did he. Zelda's quests had always been a source of mystery to him. But he wouldn't have to worry about them much longer. Soon – very soon – she'd lose the opportunity to ever venture off again.

And there it was, that horrible ache in his heart making itself known once again. It was a foreign feeling, full of pain, it made him feel doubtful… unhappy. Like a physical wound that threatened to bleed him dry.

He repressed it to his best abilities, but it still lingered like a small flickering light.

"Zelda, are you well?" His voice full of worry, just like it always was when she returned to him.

She smiled at him, a strained sort of quirk of the lips, and glided into the room, wrapping her arms around herself tightly.

"I am. Thank you for your consideration."

Dasril nodded and continued gazing into the flaming hearth, as he was prone to do when deep in thought. Consciously, he felt for the press of the magical item that Lord Xerthos had bestowed upon him during their last meeting. He felt its contours in his pocket, pressing up against his thigh, seeming to absorb all the warmth from that one spot.

He should use it. He knew how. Lord Xerthos was expecting him to use it... but for some strange reason his body wouldn't comply. His hands remained lazily in their spots, one resting on the armrest, the other flung over the back of the settee. Neither was willing to move.

A dip in the plush cushion as a warm body settled next to him, tantalizingly close. Did she not realize the desire she invoked within him? How each smile she gave him, each embrace, each kiss of affection on his cheek was torture to his soul? Yet she treated him as if he were only a close confidant, a brother, to relish in the company of.

They'd laid down the foundation of their partnership those years ago when she'd first come to him, yet he found himself wanting to cross all those lines she had drawn for them. He didn't want mere friendship, he wanted more, he wanted her.

If only she was not so blind to the desire in his eyes whenever he looked at her.

He stared at her with that same desire now, his heart filled deep with it. She was so beautiful. Her soft as silk skin shone pale in the light of the hearth, her hair like spun gold, eyes a vivid sky blue, her lips smooth and bountiful…

"I'll be leaving again, in the morning," she said softly, quietly, as if worried that speaking any louder would wake the whole household.

He drew in a shuddering breath. "Why?"

She looked down at her lap, gaze lost. "Things have happened. I told you, Link and Zellandus know about me, there's no telling how many others-"

"No! Why?" he pressed, angling his body so that he was fully facing her, practically hovering over her. "Why do you have to go? Why do you always leave me?"

Blue eyes widened and her mouth parted in alarm. Her mouth then thinned as she frowned at him. "Dasril, you know I can't tell you."

"For two and a half years you've been searching. For what?" he growled, a sudden anger consumed him. "What is it you've been looking for? What is so important that you put your life on the line, that you'd put yourself in harms way to find?"

"I just told you-"

"Link?"

Her mouth opened but no words came out. She looked stricken as she gaped at him before she finally found her voice. "What?"

"Link, the Prince's bodyguard." He was leaning over so that his hands gripped the backrest on either side of her, caging her under him like a cornered rabbit. "Tell me, how many times have you gone to see him since I first mentioned him to you?"

She narrowed her eyes dangerously. "That's totally irrelevant."

"I know you've been to see him. I was there that night you escaped from the castle. I was with you during that peasant festival. You've forgone your secret little mission countless times just to see him, don't deny it!"

"And what of it?" she countered firmly. "My affairs are my own."

"Not while you live in my household," he growled savagely.

Zelda glared at him and somehow he knew a line had been crossed. She spoke in a low tone, her voice deadly and wreathed with promise. "You forget to whom you are addressing. I am your princess, you answer to me. If you dare to question my intentions ever again the consequences will be severe."

Dasril breathed harshly through his mouth, mentally going over what she said again and again. He didn't want to know what consequences there'd be. For all he knew she'd leave him and to him that was worse than any lashing.

He had to keep her with him. For as long as possible he'd keep her with him.

Slowly his anger began to simmer. He returned to his senses and noticed the position they were in. He flung himself off her as if he'd been struck and watched grievously as she straightened up and flattened her ornate robe.

Groaning, he ran his hands through his hair, nails scraping sharply against the scalp. He cast his gaze to a far corner of the room. He couldn't bear to look at her, to see the revolt in her eyes. "I – I apologize, your highness. It was not within my right to question you. It shan't happen again, this I promise."

A pressure settled on his arm. That warm hand moved up along his bicep and tugged him closer. With a great sigh he relented and followed the movement, turning so that he partially face her.

"I forgive you, Dasril. Just don't let it happen again. For a moment there you worried me."

With great effort, he squashed down the self-loathing and mustered up the courage to look at her. His eyes, reflecting a vast yearning, met her warm ones.

She smiled at him and he collapsed in her arms. He held her tightly as she soothed him. Abjectly, he laughed at himself, at his own weakness. A battle raged in his mind, one among many from a long tiring war that had been going on for a while now. One side fought for her.

He nuzzled his face in the dip of her neck, brushing against the collar of her robe, causing it to slide down a fraction. She didn't resist, so he proceeded to kiss along that white expanse of skin, lips brushing and lingering until he found her pulse, then he sucked.

A low gasp, her breath lost its steady rhythm as it drew in rapidly.

Slowly he moved up, placing soft kisses along her ear then her cheek. He shifted their position so she could lay fully back on the settee with him on top of her, pressing their bodies close together, clutching each other in a desperate hold.

Somewhere inside him he knew that he was taking advantage. That they were both hurting, both emotionally unstable and not in their right minds. Yet along with vanity and pride there was something else the Foulkes were known for. Their selfishness.

He didn't care about the repercussions, didn't care that she was in love with another man and would regret this after it was all over. He didn't care that he was risking everything he had worked so hard for, his loyalty to Lord Xerthos, the power that had been promised him… so long as he could have this moment.

And that Link, that dastardly Link… he'd erase all thoughts of him from her mind.

She sucked in a sharp breath and he clashed his lips with hers, his tongue darting past her lips to roam her mouth, exploring every single inch and caressing it. His tongue sought hers out and they danced together in a swirl of motion. They parted in order to take in wavering breaths before their mouths drew together once more.

He braced himself on his arm, sinking into the cushion next to her side, his other hand busy with clutching her around the waist, bringing their bodies as close together as possible. His knee moved up between her legs, nudging that womanly part of her forbidden to most men.

They parted with a smack and Zelda took in a ragged breath. He panted above her gazing into her dazed eyes and savoring the sight. He placed his full weight on her, his hand coming up to caress her cheek, thumb rubbing along her swollen bottom lip.

Her chest heaved against his and he groaned at the feel of the swell of her breasts. Her robe had come open during their activities, revealing a satin blue nightgown that clung erotically to her curves.

It was too hot in here. He needed to move, to take off some of his layers, but he couldn't because that would mean being parted from her, from Zelda, his love.

Cheeks flushed and breathing hard, she reached up to pull him against her, embracing him tightly, winding her fingers through his hair as he rested his cheek against her shoulder.

"I'm sorry…"

The whisper came so suddenly and he instantly knew what it meant. He became rigid in her grasp, slowly he pushed upward, leaning on his hands above her. Her mouth was set in a small apologetic smile, eyes pleading, tears trailing along the corners.

Suddenly he couldn't get off her quickly enough. He rolled over, hitting the floor then shooting up, he moved away, creating space between them. She sat up, absently fixing her robe and wiping her tears away with her sleeves before again aiming that sad smile at him, looking to all the world like a sorrowful angel.

"I'm sorry, Dasril."

He took a few breaths to steady himself. His pulse beat wildly inside him as wave upon wave of misery and rage swarmed him. He barred his teeth in a snarl and gave her his back. He refused to look at her.

"Is it Link?" he spat out with near impeccable control. It was taking all he had to refrain from tearing the room apart. He'd wait for her to leave before he did that.

A soft response. "You know it is."

The cries of battle became louder inside him, the side that fought for Zelda was being brutally pushed back.

He said stiffly. "Why?" It was always that same question. "Why him? The peasant, a boy of no worth?"

"Because he is my light, he is my hope, my dreams, my courage…" her voice broke as she whispered. "I love him. I've loved him forever and longer."

A ragged breath escaped him, one filled with despair. With his next exhale he let it all out, sorrow, anger, pain, regret, everything. When next he breathed in he was renewed. His emotions still raged somewhere inside him, but they'd been silenced by a new sense of clarity, an old purpose aroused him.

He faced her and took in her tired expression as if she'd fought a thousand year war and the battle was not yet over. It broke a part inside him to see her this way. That part was rapidly thrust aside as he walked toward her, his steps slow and serene.

Courage…

Then it had to be this way…

"One last kiss," he whispered, eyes closing. "That's all I ask." The part of him that still burned with longing ached and sang in anguish.

The padding of footsteps on hardwood, and then warmth resided in the space before him. His eyes fluttered open and she was there, gazing up at him, with pity or sorrow, he couldn't tell.

She fingered his hair and cupped his neck with her hand. Then she brought his mouth down to hers.

Unlike their last passionate kiss, this one was chaste and full of regret.

He wished to linger as long as he could, but eventually it had to end. Before she could completely step away he wrapped her up in his arms, holding on to her one last time. She allowed it, if only to indulge him. But she didn't know what it meant. How could she know that this would be the last time he'd be this close to her.

He tilted his head, lining up his mouth with her ear. He spoke softly. "I figured it out. You seek Ganondorf, you seek the thief king."

She pushed away abruptly, looking up at him wide eyed and gaping. "H-how? How did you…?"

At this he gave her a wry smile. "Books. I did my research. I read up on an old legend, one that has been retold time and time again throughout history. About an evil king, Ganondorf; a hero…Link; and a princess…"

He lowered his face close to hers. "You." He took a second to relish the horrified look on her face as her secret was uncovered. Who knew that all this time she was the princess of destiny; that they were all living the legend anew; that he'd be a part of it. "You slipped up and from there it wasn't hard to put the pieces of the puzzle together to figure out the solution."

The horror left her face and instead it became one of urgency. "You can't tell anyone. Dasril, you must keep this to yourself. If word reaches Ganondorf…"

He smirked and she looked at him appalled. Never had he shown her even a hint of mockery, never had he so blatantly regarded her with such disdain. He could pick the glint of shock in her eyes, mingling with wariness and slight concern.

He smiled, showing his teeth. It was time to be cruel. "He doesn't exist in this era. You see…Ganondorf is not the only evil out there…"

Blue eyes rounded in realization before a blast hit him in his center, throwing him to crash against the wall. The room vibrated, things broke. Dasril sat up, leaning on one arm, his other rubbing the trail of blood from his split lip where it had knocked against the corner of his chair.

Zelda stood directly across the room, she'd taken a stance, arms held out in readiness, her fingertips already glowing.

His breathing indicated that no ribs had been shattered. They ached, but he'd not been damaged too badly. It appeared that even under suspicion she couldn't bring herself to hurt him.

Subtly he patted along his thigh and dipped his hand into his pocket.

"What do you mean by that?" she shouted, eyes flaring. "Answer me!"

Using one hand he pushed himself to his feet, trying to ignore the traitorous pounding in his heart. "Exactly what I said. There is no king of thieves in this generation. Yours and the hero's main foe is not Ganondorf. Not this time."

"Then who is it?" The magic in her hands flared brighter and he had a feeling that if it struck him this time he'd come out of it with more than bruises and a torn lip.

Hand tucked in his pocket, he grasped the object, his gift from Lord Xerthos, Reth's creation. He carefully pulled it out.

"Why don't you meet him?!"

Thrusting his arm out, he flung the object straight at Zelda, just as she released her light magic.

* * *

><p>Kipper, Link decided, was a very good bird. After this was over he would make sure to give the hawk an extra portion of mouse to show just how much he appreciated all he was doing for them – not that the bird knew of the importance of his assignment.<p>

He'd flown low to the ground all night, keeping well in sight of Link and Zellandus. The light of the full moon had guided them northward, past Hyrule field and past the hills and knolls that comprised of the landscape.

They were fast approaching the base of a mountain that Link knew well, although he'd originally climbed it on the other side. Snowpeak mountain stood tall as ever, its summit masked by misty clouds. Snow encompassed its entire surface. The more the men travelled the more snow dusted the ground until their horses had to trudge through it up to their ankles, too slick and slippery to run in. They had to carefully meander their way upward, and even though the pace had slowed significantly it was still faster than if they were on foot.

Kipper once again soared back in a wide circle to make sure they were still following him, then he darted upward, moonlight shining off his wings.

Although the circumstances were not as he would want them, Link felt back in his element. Constant travel, days with little to no sleep, and yet fatigue barely touched him. Unlike Zellandus, who was holding up formidably, but looked as if he'd fall out of his saddle any minute now.

Things had slowed down, the adrenaline had worn off and now Zellandus was feeling the full effects of a sleepless full twenty four hours.

He nudged his horse to walk alongside Zellandus' then touched the Prince's shoulder, stirring him. "How do you fare? Do you need a respite?"

Zellandus jolted up and brushed Link's hand aside. "I'm fine. Just…the cold is making my muscles lax."

Link nodded. "Mine too."

It was true, to an extent. The small movements needed to direct their horses did little to warm them up. And now that they didn't have to grip on tightly with their knees, their legs were becoming stiff. They'd be unbearably sore once they touched ground.

They should have rested hours ago, but Link wanted to press on. He needed to press on. And he was sure Zellandus would agree with him.

They were almost there. So close.

An iced over lake loomed in front of them on their next turn, set in a dip between two hills. On the other side was a large building blanketed in snow and shaded by multiple pine trees.

Link felt his heart skip a beat.

"This can't be right," muttered Zellandus, frowning as he took in the manor and the expansive grounds.

Link grew terse. "Is there something wrong?" He cast his eyes around searching out any danger but spotted nothing. There were signs of life, of Hylians inhabiting the place, but he didn't see anyone. And why would he at this time of night? It was nearly morning.

"This manor," said Zellandus, voice laced with confusion, "I've been here once before, as a lad. It belongs to House Foulkes."

"House Foulkes," Link repeated, absently. "Lord Foulkes, the minister, lives here?"

"It is his country home, yes. And as I said, it can't be right, Zelda can't be here…can she?" He looked at him as if Link could provide some reassurance…that what? That she was there? That she wasn't?

If this were indeed the home of Lord Dasril Foulkes, then why in Hyrule would Zelda be residing here alongside him?

A bright light flashed through a set of windows, then a crash and a cry.

Link abandoned his horse, swinging off the side and taking the path at a sprint. His sword was out before he reached the threshold and once there he commenced pounding on the door, finding it locked he sought to tear it off its hinges.

Zellandus appeared beside him and they barreled into the door in tandem.

They'd both recognized that cry as a woman's, and whether or not it belonged to Zelda as long as there was somebody in trouble they'd be there to help. Deep inside him he knew it must be Zelda. He related it to that dreaded day long ago, when rain had fallen instead of snow; they'd been in the city rather than the countryside, surrounded by burning ruins. Her screams then had been anguish to his soul.

The door shuddered under their combined force. Three more blows and then it shattered open, lock spinning as it flew and hit the marble floor.

A man stood there, gaping and wide-eyed, looking as if he'd rushed from his bed. He took stock of the room before casting them a hard eye. "How dare you invade Foulkes manor! Who are you and why are you here?!"

Imperiously, Zellandus strode forward meeting his glare with one of greater intensity. "I am Prince Zellandus Harkinian Hyrule. Step away, sir, or do you wish to face treason?"

All blood rushed from the man's face and he bowed. "Forgive me, your highness."

Zellandus nodded at the man's reverence as he and Link rushed past. They had little time for interference. They took the stairs two at a time and then dashed down the first corridor, looking into every room they passed.

"At this rate it will take forever," groused the Prince as he checked another empty room.

Link frowned. "There was an explosion so there'd be some damage wherever it happened. I wager that's why that servant was up so early. He was going to investigate."

Zellandus scoffed in irritation. "Should have brought the fellow with us. Would have saved us a heaping amount of time."

Ears flicking, Link slowed his trod and crept forward cautiously. "Not necessarily…"

Before them was another corridor, one that led to a private wing. What interested him, though, was that the doors had been flung off their hinges, leaving a shredded threshold and a gaping wide hole in the wall. There was the deep mumblings of a masculine voice coming from inside and both Hero and Prince inched closer to look.

"…'m so sorry, but you left me with little choice."

Link and Zellandus exchanged wary glances as they neared, stealthily readying their swords.

"I doubt you'd understand. I shall admit; I regret this almost as much as I revel in it."

At the frayed doorway, he carefully angled his head around the gap to see in. It was dark but for a steadily burning fire that lit up one side of the room, casting the rest in shadows. A man was standing there, his outline bordered by the faded morning light. He was leaning forward, his hand caressing a large black transparent orb with something inside it. No. Someone was inside it.

"Goodbye…your highness..."

Link leapt through the entryway, baring his sword, a wild cry on his lips, just as the orb shimmered then disappeared in a swirl of wind. Link let out a shout of outrage and swung. The man quickly recovered from his initial shock upon seeing them and ducked then jumped back as Link thrust, aiming at the man's heart.

The man raised his arms and lit then with fire. He twirled, swinging his arms in deadly arcs, narrowly missing Link as he rolled away, shooting up near the hearth, sword held above his head in a guard.

"Lord Foulkes?"

The shocked and somewhat disgusted voice came from Zellandus, who was standing at the end of the room framed by the doorway. Link swerved his head and stared at the man, taking in the contours of his face against the glow of his flaming arms.

Lord Foulkes was panting, his shoulders shaking. He flicked his arms and the fire went out, leaving his face to be swallowed up by shadows again.

"Prince Zellandus? You surprise me. To what do I owe the visit…and the rude aggression?" he spat the last part at Link, who reacted by constricting his hands around the handle of his sword.

Zellandus was quivering with rage. Link noted he had yet to lower his sword. Smart man.

"Who did you have here with you? What did you do to her?!" said Zellandus in a dangerously low tone.

Lord Foulkes didn't respond for a while, but when he did he said, "none of your concern."

Zellandus flung his arms out. "Liar!"

Twin shadows zoomed across the floor, barreling on opposite sides of each other and rammed into Dasril. He let out a loud 'oof!' as he was slammed into the wall, both arms restrained by identical pairs of black talons, which had formed from the shadows.

Link stared at the ghastly parts, then narrowed his eyes back on Lord Foulkes, his enemy.

He strode over to Dasril with deadly intent. Zellandus threw an arm in his path, hissing 'Link!', but Link merely swatted it away.

He grabbed a fistful of Dasril's shirt and twisted, lifting him off his feet and limiting his airway.

"Tell me, fiend! Do you work for Ganondorf?" he growled lowly.

Dasril let out a faint chuckle. "She thought the same thing. Truly, _hero_, you're both too paranoid."

From behind him Zellandus sucked in a sharp breath, the talons around Dasril's arms only tightened. Laval and Carus, unmerciful.

He didn't care that he knew he was the hero. He wanted to see how far he was embedded into the plot. What did he know!

He shook him. "Answer me!"

Dasril's light smile turned into a frown. He bared his teeth at him, sharp canines glistening savagely. "I'll tell you what I told her. Ganondorf does not exist! He's not the evil you hunt!"

Link's twisted Dasril's shirt more, further cutting off his air supply. "Then who is?!" He didn't believe the traitorous minister for a second. But…if there was a chance there was someone else behind all this…someone else who was pulling the strings…

"He's a foul person, ambitious and cruel," said Lord Foulkes, eyes taking on a far-seeing sheen. "Lord Xerthos is your foe. However, you'll not defeat him. It's too late. I've already presented him with what he needs to acquire ultimate power."

His brows furrowed before they rose in shock. "You mean…?"

"Yes, Lord Xerthos needs wisdom to complete his task. He needs Zelda," he choked.

Link stood frozen, his mind whirring. He then let his emotions take reign and slammed a fist into Dasril's abdomen. The minister gasped then let out a pained groan. Link let go of him and stepped away, he needed to think. He needed to get this lowlife to tell there where exactly Zelda was.

If felt like for forever that he'd been chasing her…

"So that is why you did it," muttered Zellandus, moving in front of Dasril. "That is why you wiped out everyone's memories of her!"

Through his wheezing Dasril formed a laugh of amusement. "Oh no, that wasn't me. The thing is, I didn't even know she was in possession of wisdom until a few nights ago; otherwise Hyrule would have fallen long before now. It was simply fate that she was so conveniently placed within my household. Don't you see? She did it. It was her spell that caused everyone to forget about her. She wanted it that way. She wanted Zellandus to take up the throne instead of her. Hah, you see the predicament that has caused?"

Link was struck. She…she did this? How? Why? How could she do something like this? No. the question he should be asking was why was he listening to this traitor!

"Ignore him, Zellandus. He's in a desperate situation. Of course he's going to lie to us to throw us off guard and have us doubt her." How could he have believed him, even if it was just for a second?

Dasril's cold voice drifted into his head. He heard him, unbidden. "Two and a half years ago… that is when she remembered her past lives wasn't it? She had become so distant then, so different. Sometimes I'd look at her and it would appear as if her heart had been rendered in two, as if the very life had been snuffed out of her. She was always in so much pain, so much despair. You'd have to look deep to see it, but I've become adept at that." He scoffed then chortled. "After living together for so long, there were many things I've learned about her, many things I've done with her…"

Link's blood boiled at the insinuation and he swerved around, marching up to the captured minister with his sword out. "How dare you speak of her in that way!" he gritted out through clenched teeth.

Dasril smiled, almost despondently. "Something in one of her past lives must have really affected her if she desired so much to erase her existence. I was there throughout it all, her closest companion, offering comfort when it was needed. It was a torturous decision for her, but she must have thought it better than living among the people who knew her, or the people who would in time know her." He frowned, and sent Link a look of pure malice. "The one mistake she made was not erasing her _own_ memories!"

Link was about to reply with a nasty retort when Zellandus grabbed his arm forcefully. "We're getting off topic. We need to focus on the situation at hand." He turned to Dasril. "Where is she? Where did you send my sister?"

Dasril remained tight-lipped in the face of the Prince, and it didn't appear as if he was going to reveal anything to them anytime soon. Zellandus raised his hand and Dasril took the blow with nary a sound, head snapping to the side, frayed hair hanging loosely in his face.

Link mused that the only thing more satisfying than seeing Zellandus hit Dasril, was being able to do it himself. As it was, he'd better not. He was so angry he was liable to kill the fiend.

Zellandus lost patience. He swiped a hand through golden locks, pushing them back out of his face. "You have five minutes to provide an adequate answer or else I'll let the Sheikah have you. If you think they're frightening as shadows, then you should see their physical forms."

By the looks of the gruesome talons keeping Dasril in place, he could well envision what they may look like. He doubted their forms were human.

Lord Foulkes' eyes widened, spiked with fear. He gave a small nod in understanding. Link lessened the force of his grip on his blade.

"Very well. But do let me down first, I can hardly feel my arms anymore," said Dasril, keeping his gaze lowered.

After a moment, the Prince motioned to the two Sheikah's and Dasril was dropped unceremoniously. He fell to his knees, wincing as he experimentally moved his arms and curled his fingers. He then sat back and leaned against the wall, one arm draped over his abdomen as if to subdue the pain.

Laval and Carus' shadows moved about the room, circling Dasril like a pair of sharks. Link flicked his sword and pointed it at the minister.

"Now, your answer…" said Zellandus.

They should have reacted as Dasril smirked. Should have pinned him down and wrapped him in chains. Instead they watched cautiously, waiting to see what he would do.

Dasril's hand, which had been hidden by the fold of his surcoat, pulled back, revealing a small black object.

"My answer…?" he said, chuckling as he rubbed his thumb over the object. "Goodbye."

Laval and Carus leapt at him but it was too late. His body dissipated in a myriad of black particles as he vanished.

* * *

><p>Deep in the heart of the lost woods somewhere in the Faron province, Zelda had begun to stir. Consciousness had begun to return to her and she was made aware of an irritating tapping noise.<p>

Blue eyes fluttered open to be met to a world tinted in grey. She attempted to move but found herself constrained. Walls surrounded her on all sides. Panicking, she felt around, hands easily reaching every surface. And then she remembered. Dasril had thrown something at her that had enlarged and wrapped around her. She was trapped in a giant sphere.

The tapping stopped and a voice spoke up.

"Well now, look who's awake."

Outside the sphere everything was dim, it was difficult to make out anything past the basic shapes of objects. The man lurking above her, though, was difficult to miss, and although she couldn't distinguish his more defining details, she knew exactly who it was.

"I suppose you know me. We've probably known each other for a while, however I was told what you did so don't be offended when I say that I can't, for the life of me, remember you."

Reth DeSange… It didn't pass her how both Reth and Dasril were ministers on the royal council. How had she left her brother with such a corrupt council?

All at once, a pair of creaking double doors was thrust open, allowing three sets of footsteps to stride in.

The man in front bore wicked looking robes, long and frayed. His expression was cold as stone and his face crisscrossed with the most scars Zelda had ever seen on a person. Shortly behind him followed two others, one she recognized as Dasril, somewhat limping and sporting a bruise alongside his split lip, she was content to see.

The last person to enter was vastly heavier than his comrades. With each step he took the metal of his armor grated, plates clanging together, his cape sweeping the floor. His horned helm gave him the allusion of a demon.

Her breath left her all at once, for there in front of her was the Augurer…

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Woah, lotsa steam! This for the few of you out there who like the idea of ZeldaXDasril. **

**What about Zelink fluffies, you ask? It truly rips my heart to shreds saying this... but that comes later. Yes, later. Like I've been telling you all since the story's beginning. My God! I'm sadistic aren't I? Sooo sorry!**

**On a happier note, Hyrule Warriors comes out next week! You might not be seeing me for a while since I'll be playing it nonstop until I beat the game. I can't wait!**

**Ahem... anyways, thanks for reading! **


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Hyrule Warriors! Sooo much fun, made more so when playing with another person. My only complaint is that the storyline is too short :( I prefer the actual plot to all the extra stuff.**

**Thanks for reviewing: Wolf, Reader 123, Schniedragon88, ShadowQueenMidna, FallenAngel2298, Death Waltz, ObscurityProject, Generala, Ancient . tree , tetraforce theory, princesspeach, A True NaZaMi Fan, Bloodspire and Lilac Gemani. **

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><p><span><strong>Chapter 21<strong>

Ten millennia ago the Gods freely walked the earth. They lived among the mortals, teaching them, bestowing them with gifts, helping them to built up their civilization with the arts and sciences. Some simply entered the mortal realm to see what it was like, to explore and witness the magnificence created by their sisters, but most were drawn because of fascination and intrigue. However, one by one, as Gods were apt to do, they grew bored, each departing once again for the heavens. As time passed their visits became less and less, eventually only a few remained. Thus it was next that the demons arose to venture into the mortal world. They brought with them avarice and malice and all things evil, thereby corrupting the mortals and inspiring the seven deadly sins. Seeing the imminent chaos, the remaining Gods rallied against the demons, their ever-bitter foe. They created armies of the mortal races to drive them off. The demons similarly rallied, uniting under one of the great demon Lords, a legend whose name instilled dread in the depths of men's heart, the demon Demise. It was the Goddess Hylia who led the mortal troops in the war, and in the end they managed to conquer the enemy and the Great Demise was sealed away.

It so happened that at this time one of the demons, a lieutenant by the name of Enandri, abandoned his post. Having seen the fate of lesser demons, at the mortal army's hand or from punishment by the demon Lord himself, he wanted no part of it. He detached himself from his legion as they waged battle, and hid, not to be seen again for many generations.

Time passed, the hands of the clock turned.

Like all demons Enandri was drawn by power and sought to make it his own. Biding his time he thrived on the bounties of the world. It was easy to accumulate power here, more so than in the dark realm. He leeched off the life force of any human he encountered until he became strong enough to take on the lesser Gods. He captured and imprisoned those few he found still lingering among the mortals. He kept them secured and sucked their immortal power, leaving them in a state as one on the brink of death. They were entirely helpless and at his mercy.

He remained hidden this way for five millennia, passing through the world as a ghost, doing nothing to interfere with the greater matters. He went so far as to ignore the call of his master, Demise, during his rise and fall and eventual destruction.

Over time he became so strong that simply absorbing the power of others was no longer enough, it no longer sustained him or helped him to grow. And it was then that he looked to Hyrule, the most prosperous of the world's countries, the Goddesses' golden lands, where he sought out a relic of unimaginable power. Inexplicably drawn to it, like so many others before him, he finally emerged from hiding and gathered a massive force to him.

At that time every God had left for the heavens, no more remained on earth, none but the few he'd imprisoned. The mortals were unprotected and vulnerable. Enandri did not have the power that the Demon Lord, Demise, wielded but that did not stop him. He was confident that in the absence of the Gods, and more so, in the disappearance of the Goddess Hylia, he'd be able to conquer Hyrule and claim the triforce as his own, surpassing the power of God and demon alike.

His forces slaughtered without care; they slew and ransacked and ate of Hylian flesh. Enandri butchered the ruling monarch of that era and the throne became his. Hyrule fell into despair. The mortal races lived in fear and darkness. They were left hopeless, with nothing but prayer to their Gods for salvation, a salvation that it seemed was not in coming.

Although he had a mind to wipe them out entirely, Enandri kept the mortals alive. They were his source of amusement, to be constantly ridiculed and mocked. They were weak, with their frail bodies, short lifespans and the ease at which they surrendered to their emotions. He had made killing them a hobby, and hunting down the foolish ones who rebelled a sport. He tortured whenever he became particularly frustrated in his search for the triforce, and devoured their remains. Intended or not, their extinction seemed imminent.

The Hylians lost their spirit, their will for a better world, as continuously their prayers were ignored. The Goddesses, it seemed, had abandoned them, and all other Gods would have nothing to do with them. Their creation, their people; forgotten. Many began to spurn the Great Goddesses, to curse them along with the demon Enandri. But as were the ways of the Goddesses, they did not want their people to rely solely on divine salvation, but knowing that their people could not hope to conquer the demon themselves they were willing to lend aid.

It so happened that a boy was born during this age of misery, a boy who was to grow up amid war and strife. He rose from the clutches of his slavery and, in the name of the Goddesses, became the legendary hero and freed the land. He roused the people to arms, he stole back a small bit of the light that they had lost and that was enough to inspire them to hope once more. When at last it was time to face the cruel overlord the hero fought with vigor, with spirit that none have been able to muster since the beginning of Enandri's reign.

He vanquished the demon. Sprawled on the ground in defeat, Enandri cursed the hero and cursed the Goddesses he worshipped. But before the hero could deliver the final strike that would send the demon back to whence it came, the sage who had been battling alongside him called him to desist. Demons, like the Gods, do not die so easily, and those that are banished tend to claw their way back and wreak havoc on the world in the name of vengeance. Seeking to avoid that, the sage instead chose a different path. The demon would live. He'd live among them, but as a mortal with no hope of ever regaining his power to do evil. With that, the sage used the Goddesses' divine blessing to seal Enandri's demonic side into a godly instrument. Enandri was then laden in chains and imprisoned to rot in the dungeon until his mortal body eventually expired, then he was no more.

It was then that the sage took the godly instrument and hid it away deep in the lost woods where it could be forgotten with time. She sealed it with a specialized set of wards that would only ever recognize her signature, then placed guardians to watch over it and see to it that it was never found.

This carefully guarded artifact was lost to history. Few ever knew of its existence and the ones who did know were never inclined to look for it or to pass down their knowledge to future generations.

And so one is left to wonder…

…how these specifics had reached Lord Xerthos' ear…

* * *

><p>"Dasril!" she spat, voice infused with so much white-hot anger she could have fooled herself into believing she was breathing fire.<p>

Dasril made a point of not looking at her, not even a cursory glance in her direction. He stood further back than the others, partially hidden by the dark form of the Augurer.

Zelda admitted to feeling a cold dredge of fear at the sight of the armored hulk. This man who had been plaguing Hyrule for the past few months, who single-handedly made himself a man's nightmare with his mere existence alone. He'd done nothing to her knowledge that should have instigated this fear he'd wrought upon Hyrule, but yet it was tangible. It was the things he could do, the devastation that he could cause that drove their fear. The same as how a person may be frightened of a ghost.

She could see no face behind the visor, so it could be just paranoia that made her tense up as if he were looking directly at her.

Dasril had said that there was no Ganondorf in this era, but then who was the Augurer? Why would she and Link be reborn without Ganondorf to complete their triangle? What was the purpose of their existence in this life?

Another tap sounded on the sphere, like the clinking of glass. It rang in her ears and Zelda flinched at the noise.

"Yo, we can't hear you from out here. This orb doesn't exactly transmit sound two ways you know," said Reth, leaning over to peer at her. As if he'd discovered a newfound purpose to be as obnoxious as ever, he began tapping on the orb again.

Zelda considered yelling at him but decided not to waste her breath. Instead she charged her hands. With a sudden flare, she shot them in Reth's direction and let her magic go wild.

A shock ran through her, a burning sensation that could only be described as excruciating in its painfulness. She collapsed in a huddle, riding out the waves of agony, occasionally jolting as her nerves were sparked.

"That…" she heard from Reth who spoke with a relieved sort of breathlessness, "could have been disastrous."

Heaving with gasps, Zelda managed to pry her eyes open to see that Reth's vague figure was further back than before, as if he had reeled away in avoidance of her attack. But it hadn't gone through. The orb had contained it and with nowhere else to go the energy she'd unleashed had diverted back to her. She'd burned herself with her own powers. No matter that they were somewhat diluted when used against their originator, it still hurt like hell.

The man with the scars spoke, his voice hollow and seeping with vice. "Don't provoke her, Reth," he spat, coming up to take a closer look at her through the grayish tint. "We need her in decent health."

Zelda shuddered with pain but managed to level a steady glare at the man. Her body throbbed something fierce and the cramped enclosure of her prison did little to alleviate the hurt. It took all her willpower not to let the tears spill from her eyes.

A spasm shot through her and she whimpered, curling into a ball.

"That was not very wise of you," the scarred man said to her, his voice and manner chiding.

_Oh really_, she wanted to spit out, but thought better of it. That was something she was not willing to undergo again. She could almost pity the people who'd been on the receiving end of her magic. Almost…were it not that they all deserved their fate.

His hand descended on the orb, caressing it softly. "At long last…" he whispered serenely, then swirled away, cape billowing in a great arc. "But there are still preparations to be made. Dasril, assist me!"

Like an obedient pup, Dasril bowed his head low and trailed after the man demurely. Zelda stared at him as he passed, willing him to look at her, she wanted to see into his eyes, see what sort of person he had created of himself. She wanted his eyes to connect with hers so he could see the betrayal, the anger and fear that shone in her. So he could see her mouth forming the weakened words that left her lips.

"How could you?"

Why had he done this? What did they need her for?

Dasril shuffled past quickly and Zelda's anger flared, stemming from the hurt that welled up in her chest. The audacity! How could he do this to her then completely ignore her?

"Don't worry, pet," said Reth as he settled himself crossed-legged in the air beside her, chattering away like a long-time companion. He indicated the robed back of his Lord with a roll of his eyes and exclaimed hopelessly, "it's not only you. Lord Xerthos treats everybody like they're his test subjects. Lab rats, if you may. Of course he does have good credentials in the area…"

As the pain abated, Zelda found it easier to twist around in her confinement. Taking care not to move too suddenly, she eased herself up then leaned her shoulder against the curve of the sphere.

"L-Lord Xerthos?" she queried, then remembered belatedly that Reth couldn't hear her. He seemed to be paying little attention to her, staring off at the ceiling with sharp orange eyes, happily carrying on his one-sided conversation at his leisure.

"Sooooo…you're the princess, eh? It is alleviating to know that Prince Zellandus was never destined for the throne, however I find it ironic and amusing that he shall have it anyways... Or perhaps not. Lord Xerthos will more than likely have him brutally murdered," Reth tilted his head, smiling whimsically, "that's just his style."

Zelda's anger reared up. "Don't you dare touch him!"

He eyed her sidelong and quirked an uninterested eyebrow at her reaction. "Don't like that? Don't fret. His demise shall be far more pleasant than what Lord Xerthos has planned for you."

She pressed her hands against the orb, frustrated by her helplessness. Her hands burned with her magic but she couldn't risk using it. "If any of you so much as go near him…"

He smiled at her. "Ah, pet. You do not know what fate awaits you, do you?"

His tone was light but what he said gave rise to apprehensiveness. Still seething, she narrowed her eyes, chin tilted down. "What is to become of me?"

He eyed her sidelong, sighing dismally as he repositioned himself to mirror sitting crossed-legged on a chair, supporting his face in his palm, his other arm draped across his lap. He saw her lip movement and guessed her question as he feigned having heard her. "Alas, t'is an odious fate. It's best that I not tell you. I do suppose that you've made your assumptions though, it isn't at all difficult to guess."

He floated down to face her and slammed both hands on the orb, causing Zelda to jolt back. "Believe me, for you…I'd have you cloaked in red…"

"Reth!"

At the call, he pulled away, wearing a hope-devouring grin that spread maliciously into his eyes.

"Unfortunately, I am not the decider."

Zelda was shaken. This…this was not the Reth she had known. She could barely associate him with the one she'd been acquainted with over two years ago. She'd first met him at the academy, both new to learning the laws of magic and building up the ability to wield it properly. He'd been of the quiet, albeit mischievous, variety, taking to his studies like an artist took to his work. She'd held pleasant conversations with him, repressed a threat to the state with him, she'd congratulated him when he'd secured a place on her father's council and sought him for guidance when that council had become hers.

She'd never seen him as lucidly as she did now. It was as if a veil had been roughly torn off, revealing all her previous conceptions of his character as false.

Dasril… Reth… how many others like them had fooled her?

Painful awareness came to her. Her predicament was one she had often found herself in, but this time there was no Link to save her. He didn't know where she was, that she was even in danger. He could be out there, feeling the immense pain of her abandonment as equally as she did, wondering for the life of him where she'd gone, but he'd be too late to find her.

Zelda bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut, now regretting her hasty flight when at last they'd faced each other. Her disguise gone, she'd felt vulnerable – she'd _been_ vulnerable – standing there bare before him. Nayru! She hadn't even listened to him, taken a minute to hear what he'd had to say. Running had been an act of immaturity, yet it was the only course allowable. The only safe course; one that ensured that her heart would not further shatter.

The night was spent and as daylight leaked its tendrils into the room, Zelda was granted with a better view of the stone structure that acted as their shelter. Having been to many castles in her days, and having lived in one for countless years, it was easy to identify the layout of the stonework as similar to a castle, that or a temple. It was a ramshackle thing, so it had to be secluded and uninhabited. Her keen eyes took in its formation, locating every nook and cranny to be used to her later advantage. She detected five separate escape routes, but none of them she could access, not while she was entrapped in this orb. At least Ganondorf gave her legroom.

The shuffling of feet, and the one named Lord Xerthos appeared in her vision, hands outstretched, an action mirrored by the rest of the men in the room as they took their places on four corners surrounding her.

Desperately she turned to her once friend. "Dasril!"

Whatever it had been that had prevented him from looking at her before was gone now as he stared at her with deadened eyes that revealed a flat expression. His hands hovered over where her knees were bent at the odd angle, fingertips reaching to prod the orb.

Tears budded at her eyes, overflowing and streaking down her cheeks. She begged him. "Dasril please!"

"Now," said Xerthos.

Energy rushed into the chamber in intolerable gusts. The men's cloaks swirled around them, caught up in the flurry, the magical influx so great that the last few surviving glass windows shattered.

The orb buzzed and Zelda screamed.

* * *

><p>Calm was a state nigh impossible to achieve at the moment, yet he had. With impeccable control, he'd reigned in all the emotions dying to escape and achieved passable lethargy. Only made so because with the both of them on the rampage he didn't think the world would survive their dual wraths.<p>

He was by no means apathetic, his insides were roiling just as much as the self-proclaimed hero's, however, he was composed while Link saw fit to dive into hysterics. One of them had to be rational, and it seemed Link wasn't up for it.

…Goddesses, what a controversy that was! He was used to getting his way, oh yes, just like any other spoiled royal brat who happened to be rich beyond belief, however he never expected to actually _lead_! He was more the type to just say it shall be so or it shall be done and it was meted out. It was beyond him to put any great effort into anything.

It was just a damn good thing that he was brilliant with novel situations.

He frowned as a crash sounded from far off, soon followed by the sound of tearing and a roar of rage.

Dash it all! It was hard to keep his head with Link's wild cursing and defacing of every object he could lay his sword into. Mirrors were his prime victims of choice. This house was full of them, one for every room at least.

Another crash and then a great shatter resonated throughout the mansion.

Yes, he was really getting into those mirrors.

Zellandus winced at the sound then frowned. "You know," he called out down the hall, loud enough so that Link could hear. "You've accumulated at least a hundred and forty years of bad luck by now. That's about two to three lives you have to pay it off."

Another shattering noise accompanied the first, a resonating declaration that indicated that Link didn't give a bloody damn.

"Th-those mirrors are precious heirlooms," the servant man, Jeffrey, protested with horror. "They have been collected from all over the globe by many generations of Foulkes."

The Prince scoffed and flicked his hair from his eyes. "Oh don't worry, I authorize it." Another shatter, whereupon the servants all winced.

Unlike Link, whose priorities ran to total decimation of his surroundings, Zellandus had made his first issue of business to round up all of the staff and have the Sheikahs terrorize – er – interrogate them.

He turned to them, seeing them lined up against the wall, all ten of them. By the Goddesses, only ten to take care of this enormous monstrosity of a house? It's not like Lord Foulkes was experiencing any budget limitations, at least, not to his knowledge.

He glanced at the servant who he guessed was the butler and head of staff, a man obviously the most aged of the lot. "Jeffrey, my faithful subject, once again are you sure you know of no other location that your master would run off to? No other estates in his name, or those belonging to close friends?"

It was apparent that Jeffrey would rather not tell him anything. Confliction shone on his face, his loyalty to his master battling with his loyalty to his country. Country won out as he sighed. "No, highness. It's like I've said. Both the Lord Foulkes and Lady Zelda lived predominantly nomadic lifestyles. They'd both leave for weeks on end then stop by to recuperate. Their timings mostly differed. Lord Foulkes always stayed longer than the Lady Zelda, and he always made us contact him whenever she returned. I don't think they ever travelled together."

The resounding voice that followed caused all the servants to tense up.

_**I detect no lies. Clearly whatever their relationship it had been a close one. That is, until Lord Foulkes' untimely betrayal.**_

Zellandus nodded as Laval spoke, stroking his chin. "Clearly. Well, our theory of Zelda being kidnapped has been ruled out. Obviously she was acting with her own will. But why trust in Dasril? Why not someone else?"

_**If you are suggesting yourself then, highness, I assure you, I see good reason she did not confide in you.**_

He stomped the heel of his boot hard on his shadow. "I resent that, Carus!" He growled, and abruptly turned to face a mirror that Link hadn't gotten ahold of yet. "Damnation! I can't help but agree with you, though. That is one secret that I'd be dreadful at keeping."

_**Among others.**_

Zellandus' boot came down again. He then paced the room, the sounds of Link's rampage droning ever quieter. "What if Dasril had been telling the truth? What if she really did cast the spell deliberately? Why would she do that?"

There was a stretch of silence. The only noise came from a few of the servants who were shuffling on their feet anxiously.

Laval spoke softly.

_**Perhaps that is a question best directed at the hero?**_

Zellandus stilled abruptly and pursed his lips. "What makes you say that?"

_**The betrayer has revealed a great many things to us today. **_

The Prince nodded as he mused. "He said that she was in pain. Emotional pain – that is. Ever since her memories returned."

_**So**_, began Carus, _**whatever has caused her to reap so much emotional tribulation must have occured in her past. Do you know of the most previous Zelda who lived, asides from this current one that is.**_

He shook his head. "Very little I'm afraid."

_**Then know that you are not a direct descendent of hers but a descendent of her cousin. The last Zelda existed over a hundred years ago. She was killed hours after she and the hero defeated the evil King. Slain by his vermin followers.**_

"How ghastly!" gasped Zellandus, his stomach clenching with sickening twists. To think that his sister had had such a fate… He could only be grateful that he only had to live once. Once was enough for him. How terrible it must be to live life over and over again, facing the same perils and having the youth stolen from you in such a way...

It was decided. Link needed to be confronted. He'd been there, if anyone could help him gain insight on Zelda's mindset it was him. It was odd. Mere days ago he'd discredited Link's title as hero, believing him to be half mad at the declaration, however, since he'd seen Zelda he couldn't help but believe in the legends.

He gathered his cloak over his arm and looked down at his shadow. "Carus, stay here and watch these cretins. Laval and I will see to Link," he said, making his way out of the room.

_**Highness! I am your personal guard! The indignity of this!**_

He easily countered her. "Laval knows Link better than you, he's also more subtle and attuned to his character. And plus he won't be liable to go off on his head if he hears something undesirable."

Carus spewed curses, most of them divine entailed, and Zellandus listened absently as her voice faded the further he moved down the hall. It wasn't difficult following Link's trail. The marks of destruction indicated that he'd carried on his warpath to another wing on the opposite side of the mansion.

He became suspicious when the destruction suddenly ended, for Goddesses' sake, there were two mirrors further down that had been completely neglected! There was nothing here but blessed silence. Upon peeking into the next room he understood why. Link was centered in a rather effeminate lounge with elegant décor. A vanity with hair accessories, lotions and perfumes stood on one side, opposite a beautifully decorated changing screen. Two separate doors led into different chambers, one to the bathing room and the other to the bedroom where an enormous canopied bed resided against the far wall, to the left of which a pair of glass doors were mounted, leading onto a balcony.

Zellandus gazed around in awe, the same look that appeared on Link's face as he too surveyed the chambers.

He came to stand beside the hero, and ventured hesitantly. "This was her room wasn't it?"

Link blinked and then snorted. "Whose else could it be?" He prowled forward to the bedroom. Zellandus shrugged and followed.

The bed was made, but rumpled in the middle, as if she had sat on it for a while, doing her hair or thinking, just like when they'd been younger. But back then there would usually be two rumpled spots, one next to the other. He used to join her in her random musings, mostly to annoy her, but sometimes to lean against her side, just for the comfort of her presence.

Two and a half years and his heart was aching with loss…

Zellandus shook his head at the memories. There could be only gain now.

He watched Link as the other man placed a hand on the bedpost, seemingly deep in thought.

"What do you think he meant by that?" Zellandus quested.

Link didn't bother looking back at him. "Who?"

"Dasril. What he said about Zelda experiencing hurt, so much that she had to erase her life." His voice was tinged with sadness, but it soon resumed its usual confident air. "Did something…happen back then. In your past lives?"

Link's shoulders tensed and Zellandus knew he'd hit the nail on the head.

"Carus told me she was killed-"

"That doesn't concern you," Link snapped.

Zellandus raised an incredulous eyebrow. "Oh? That's what you think? It does concern me, she's my sister. If something devastating happened to her in another life then I have the right to be informed!"

"Then would you like me to recount it all?" shot Link snidely, rounding on the Prince. "Everything? I could tell you about the Twilight invasion and all the horrors she went through then, horrors that could possibly equal the time era, but lets not stray to that. How about every time she's taken a near mortal blow in battle, how many times she fought for her kingdom and became very close to losing everything she had. All those times she broke, body, soul and heart, and had to piece herself back together because her country required it of her. Maybe that's why she did this. Maybe it was to escape her fate. A fate she didn't want."

His tirade was short and at the end Link was breathing through his nose harshly, lips pursed, he looked ready to tear out his hair. Zellandus came up behind him and place a tentative hand on his friend's shoulder.

"You're speaking of yourself as well, aren't you?" said Zellandus, hollowly. "You, the bearer of courage, and she, the bearer of wisdom…your fates are intertwined so tightly you become almost like one being."

Link scowled and pulled away. "It wasn't our choice that this duty has been thrust upon us. We are never ending, like Gods, only worse. Gods don't have to reenact their horrors over and over again. We do. But we are Hylian. The longer we live, the more tired we become. But not even death is salvation to us. Our souls are destined never to achieve their final rest. Not so long as evil may rise and corrupt the land."

"You do have something that no one else does, though," said Zellandus, to which Link looked at him morosely. "Chance. The chance to redo your life with the ability to make better and wiser choices. So many would kill for that prospect. You two just need to get your acts together, kill your evil King as soon as possible, and then enjoy the years of peace following."

Link's lips thinned as he frowned. "That would be ideal, but _somebody_ had to go and ruin it by forfeiting her queenship. You don't know how much simpler it is to have someone of high notability supporting you on your endeavor, someone who knows about the ancient lore and who could connect with the magical beings of Hyrule. Zelda was always there as the guide, she always helped when things became too dark. She was always my motivation."

"Which leads back to my original question," said Zellandus, sternly. "Why would she have done all of this?"

Link wouldn't look at him and it was starting to become bothersome. His suspicion was aroused at this uncharacteristic behavior. What was it that Link had to hide? Or rather… what was he ashamed of?

_**Hero, this is of great importance. Your answer may aid us in understanding Princess Zelda's motivations. **_

"What use is it? It can't help us find her," said Link, crossing to the balcony and looking out over the grounds, beyond the lower hills of Snowpeak where a small sliver of Hyrule field could be seen in the distance. "What does Lord Foulkes need with her?" he mumbled absently, worry coating his tone.

"If only we knew," hissed Zellandus, fury rising at the very thought of the minister. These last two years Dasril had known about her and purposefully kept her from him. His sister! And now he did this. What in all of Hyrule had Zelda seen in the man? He wasn't even one of her suitors…or he hadn't been. Who knew what had transpired these past years. Gad that was a scary thought.

Zellandus ran his hand through his hair. "I sent Kipper with a note to Queen Helerra and Brula. We should reconvene with the Zoras and strategize. I've requested we meet in the forest west of your village, midway between Castle Town and Zoras Domain."

Eager for action, to do something productive, Link adjusted his baldric over his shoulder and shot hard eyes at the Prince. "Fine, let's go," said Link as he shoved the balcony doors open then promptly sprinted and hurdled over the banister.

"Carus!" called Zellandus, before he too took the balcony at a run, bounding over the rail and free-falling. He did a mid air flip and landed in a pile of snow, hand touching down to steady himself.

The Sheikah's presence filled his shadow as he and Link mounted their horses and kicked them into gear.

They bounded down the road, following the tracks they'd made on their way up the pass. Once on more stable ground they spurred their horses to haste. Several times they had to stop to allow their mounts and themselves to rest, however they took only short naps that soon saw them once more on the move. A full day and a half later they arrived at the meeting place.

A small camp had already been set up by the time they reached the area. Commander Deb was there, waiting for them along with three Zoras, one of whom happened to be Sir Vire. And someone else was there as well…a youth, who'd been thrown to the ground and was now held at spear point by the two soldier Zoras.

Link made a sound of alarm and vaulted off his horse landing at a sprint.

"Vrel!"

The youth, Vrel, looked up and an expression of relief filled his face as he caught sight of Link. "Link! Link, I've been searching everywhere for you!"

Vrel looked a sight, ragged and worn, clothes torn in some areas and boots horribly scuffed. He was hunched over, clutching his stomach as if nursing an injury. Aware of the unfriendly eyes upon him, he stood, careful not to make any sudden movements that could be taken as an attack.

Link batted the spears away, glaring at the Zoras. "At ease, he's a friend."

"A suspicious friend you have," voiced Sir Vire, disdainfully, crossing his arms. "We caught him poking around the area, eavesdropping no doubt."

Vrel turned to Link, eyes expressing innocence. "I had to make sure they weren't with _her_! Please, Link, believe me. I didn't know they weren't allied with the monsters."

Zellandus pulled up is horse alongside the group, staring down incredulously. "Monsters? Great magnificent Goddesses! You thought the Zoras had sided with those beasts? It's absurd."

"Not even the worst of us would ally with such creatures," snorted Sir Vire, indignantly. He gave the impression that there was some background story to that but this was hardly the moment to care about that.

"No, they have too much damn contemptuous pride," input Zellandus, earning a scowl from Sir Vire.

Link grasped his friend's hand and pulled him into a short embrace before pushing him back, grasping him around the biceps and holding him at arm length. "Vrel, what happened? Where were you? Roark said you'd been kidnapped."

Vrel's expression crumpled into one of shear horror and despair. "Adra! She got Adra! I tried to stop her but-"

"Hold a moment," Link inserted, giving a small smile, the first to frequent his lips for days. "Adra's fine. She's alive!"

A heavy breath escaped from Vrel and he appeared about to fall to his knees. Only Link's support prevented him from doing so. "Dear Nayru! Thank the Goddesses." His wild eyes then snapped to Link. "It was Vivienne! She attacked us at the bank, she tried to kill Adra, then she took me."

Zellandus saw Link's eyes darken considerably. "Vivienne?"

Really, the Prince had no idea who this individual was, but Link and Vrel seemed to be well acquainted with her.

Vrel nodded and clutched his head, as if the memories agonized him. "She needed me – an offering – there was a stone keep. There were others, men in dark cloaks – and there was one – he was in armor, so huge and evil, like a demon!"

Indiscernible to most, but as Zellandus often proved he was more perceptive than people gave him credit, so he saw the slight change in Link's pose. His shoulders bunched and the firm muscles of his neck tightened as if he was clenching his jaw.

Zellandus had the same passing thought as Link. The Augurer. Now he wondered would Link choose to go after Zelda, or the warlord he'd been chasing since first hearing about him.

What Vrel said next decided them. "Wisdom! They have wisdom! The ritual – Vivienne said – but then I escaped-"

Zellandus stopped hearing after that as everything blanked out but those few words. Wisdom! Did he mean the triforce of wisdom? And the only person who had wisdom was Zelda.

Sir Vire scoffed. "Whatever that means. He's incoherent. I can't make sense of anything he's saying."

One of the Zora soldiers looked up at the Zoran knight. "What should we do about him, sir?"

"Leave him!" shot Link. "He's coming with us." Then he said calmly, but with firm resolve. "Vrel, can you find your way back to where they kept you? Can you take us to the stone keep?"

Vrel's face blanched and he looked about to swoon. It must have been horrifying, what he'd been through. The boy was sturdy and strong, built like a bear, almost a full two heads taller than Link. It was daunting how he could be reduced to this blubbering mess. For the first time Zellandus was questioning his impulsive actions. Perhaps it would be more conducive to organize the troops and march on the keep. Brula would be very helpful in this instance.

Seeking to relay his process of thinking to Link, he opened his mouth, but barely had he formed the first word that Link suddenly coiled and drew his sword. He dashed at the woods, taking them all by surprise. He cleaved into a patch of brambles and to everyone's astonishment blood spurted from the undergrowth and a shrill cry rent the air.

A bulblin fell into the open, its throat slit, it crumpled on the ground unmoving. The Zoras recoiled in shock, as Commander Deb swore. Zellandus gulped and clutched his throat in sympathy. Link was wholly unaffected. He was paused in his final strike, bent at the knees, his sword arm outstretched, blade dripping with black blood.

"They've come looking for me!" hollered Vrel scrambling back. "I can't go back! They'll kill me!"

Link straightened and slashed his sword in a downward motion, relieving it of some of the blood. He eyed Vrel frostily. That look, combined with the streak of blood that had sprayed along his front made him look more deadly than ever.

"What has gotten into you, Vrel?" he hissed. "In all of my life you've never been a coward."

"You haven't been through what I have!"

This caused Zellandus to roll his eyes and scoff. "Oh, please." His horse shifted beneath him. He tightened his grip on the reigns. "A life may be at stake! Would you willingly abandon a fellow Hylian?"

Link stood before Vrel, eyes intense as they bore into him, causing the taller boy to squirm. "You'll be returning on your own terms this time and you'll have others with you to back you up," Link promised.

Vrel was silent, but then he shook his head. "You don't understand. Vivienne is a sorceress. The others are too! They'll tear us to shreds."

"A sorceress?" exclaimed Commander Deb, who had been strangely quiet until now. She looked directly at Link with a steely expression. "We may need more assistance if we are to take care of a group of magic users. Is it truly wise to face the Augurer along with these others? The only one of our group even capable of using magic here is his highness, and no offense intended, but your powers are not on par with a full-fledged sorcerer's. If we had the Princess, however…"

Zellandus' eyes narrowed. "Well, she's not here. She's been trapped by that..." He groaned and grit his teeth. Rational. He had to remain calm and think rationally. "I assume you've read my message?"

The Commander fingered the hilt of her sword at the mention of it, her aura darkening. "Dasril shall pay for this."

"He'll more than pay I assure you," said Zellandus, his voice filled with vice.

Link turned to Vrel, his face beseeching. "Please, Vrel…"

A moment of hesitation, whereupon Vrel was taken aback by the pure misery and helplessness that featured on Link's face. He looked over them all, before finally sighing. "I – alright…" he relented.

A wave of relief filled his core and Zellandus felt himself beginning to hope once again. He didn't know what Dasril had planned for Zelda, but he'd do everything in his power to stop it. Sooner, rather than later. He'd never been as pious as his sister, but in that instance he just had to glance skyward and give thanks to the Goddesses. It was truly the work of fate that they'd found Vrel.

"Then we go," said Vrel quietly, "to the Lost Woods."

* * *

><p>Dasril could feel the last string of magic break. The seal released one last pitiful shudder then shattered, shooting out darts of golden light.<p>

With slight hesitation he glanced at the orb. The figure within wasn't moving. She had screamed herself hoarse after the second hour of the ritual, and by the end of the first day could only tremble as pain wracked her body, tearing the light power of the triforce out of her. Now as the second day came to a close, she bore no discernable signs of life.

Heart constricting, he turned away, running a hand through his hair. After two long days of undergoing the ritual he was tired and hungry, more than he could say for her.

"That's odd…" said Reth, head cocked to the side, finger pressing inquisitively against his chin, his voice one of keen curiosity.

Dasril would have ignored him and gone on his dismal way had Reth not uttered his next words.

"She's not dead."

He whirled around, breath hitching and eyes going wide. Not dead? How was that possible? The ritual should have killed her.

Lord Xerthos moved away, holding something endearingly in his hands. "It matters not. I have what I want…the means to reconstruct the world in the image I envision it… Now only to claim its power." Lord Xerthos then began the last process of absorbing the dark power that emanated from the instrument, a gold and silver crescent harp, with black veins running along the edge and entwining with the strings, evidence of the malignant essence it was infused with.

Dasril stared horrified at the orb. He could see her faintly through the black transparency. Her head slumped, hair in disarray, scratches lined the interior of the orb where she had tried to claw herself out, tracks of blood dribbled down the side leaving semi-dried stains from the nails she had broken off.

She was alive!

The realization was too much to bear. He did this to her. He did this knowing she was supposed to die. But she lived! Knowing that caused guilt to rise up and tear through him, like the clawing of a floor master.

He was overwhelmed.

Breathing harshly, he rushed from the chamber, not hearing Reth as he called out to him in surprise. He fled through the temple and barged outside, heaving in the fresh air deeply.

He ran down the path in a crazed fashion, blinded by grief and guilt and the unbearable feeling of shame. He stumbled then slowed, waveringly slumping down against a thick trunk.

There he hyperventilated. He tugged at his hair and forced his head between his knees. Not enough air. It just wouldn't flow. He had to breathe. It seemed like ages before he finally caught his breath and exhaled heavily, tears pouring down his cheeks in a most unbecoming fashion.

He moaned in despair before laying his head back against the trunk, gazing tearfully at the forest ceiling.

How pathetic. He hadn't cried in years. But then, he'd never had a reason to do so. His mind went to Zelda and he groaned.

What was he doing? What should he do?

They had succeeded in their goal. Siphoning the magic from Zelda's triforce they had unlocked the chest which held the harp, something Lord Xerthos had told them contained unspeakable power, the very life force of a great demon. Lord Xerthos now had the means to steal the power he greatly desired, power that he had promised to share with his closest followers, those he considered his generals. He had only to absorb it from the harp, and once that process was done he'd become something far grander than any mortal. And Dasril was minutes away from attaining power beyond belief, all that he wanted was at his fingertips.

But then why did he feel so miserable?

Zelda...

No one have ever managed to break into his heart before, none but her. It was frightening how she had crept her warm tendrils inside him, instilling within him this desire to have her as his own, to love her with all his being. He was a poor lover then, to hand her over in the way he did. His jealousy had gotten the better of him, jealousy toward that fool boy, Link. Even now the very thought of him ignited his wrath like no other.

No. He was not to think of such things. Such thinking had led him to this in the first place. To betray her…

Had power truly been worth her life? He had never regretted anything more.

It came to him then like a cold slap in the face. He didn't want power... Suddenly, he didn't want anything to do with it. He'd gladly give it up in exchange for Zelda, he'd give up everything he had worked for just to see her happy.

He gazed down at his hands, frowning.

Is this what it was truly like to love? His parents had certainly not been good role models, they had married by mutual consent to increase their status and combine their wealths. They had treated each other cordially, with an aloofness that had carried on to their children. But what he felt for Zelda... that had to be real...

How had he been such a fool?

It was time to make things right.

He stood wearily, leaning a steadying hand against the tree.

She survived. He could yet fix this…

He turned toward where the temple lay. He would get her out of there. Lord Xerthos no longer needed her, he could retrieve her and take her far away from the horrors that would soon befall Hyrule.

With firm determination he started his way back, ready to betray once more.

* * *

><p>It was said that the forest was a cursed place, once a haven of the Kokiri and shelter to unwary Hylians, but a past wrought with betrayal and bloodshed had transformed it into a domain of hostility and malice. The things that dwelled within were the source of nightmares. Creatures sang from the trees and coerced unfortunate wandering souls to lose themselves within the forest. They'd drive them into insanity and then devour their souls. Only the brave and noble of heart could face the forest and come out alive and mentally sound, for they were not tempted by the whisperings of beings unseen. They stayed true to their course, and would let nothing sway them.<p>

Perhaps it was foolish to be leading his little band into the woods with him. Link had been here before many times, he knew what sounds to ignore what sounds to follow. His mind was sharp and focused and not liable to stray like the weak minds of others. He was in his element here, surrounded by trees on all sides. His earliest memories consisted of forests and groves, with light dappling the soil through vast canopies of leaves. It almost felt like twilight here, how the world around them was plunged in something half light and half shadow.

He ordered the others to remain close by his side, told them not to listen and definitely not to obey anything they might hear. Vrel was trembling as he led them further in, his eyes wide but he refused to let them wander, he refused to look anywhere but at the path ahead. Link admired his bravery. Vrel was not used to danger, he'd never faced anything more than a few bokoblins or some deku babas that had seeded too close to the village.

He felt sorry for him also. It seemed that everyone close to him was destined to have their lives torn asunder by his fate. He did this to his friend. It was his fault that he was suffering. It was a disparaging thought.

As was expected, the forest's layout didn't match any of those in his memories. It was constantly changing. Sometimes he might have sworn the trees uprooted and moved around just to confuse people.

But there was one thing that always remained the same. One part of the forest he could always count on to be his personal sanctuary.

As pressed as he was to finding Zelda, he couldn't help but on the way, keep his eyes open for that one sacred place that meant so much to him. If he could acquire the master sword on the way then it would provide a huge advantage against the Augurer and the rest of these sorcerers. Even if he didn't turn out to be Ganondorf, it would still deal colossal damage in a fight.

He sensed nothing though. After a few hours of trekking he was left to surmise that the sacred grove had to be in a different section altogether. Usually his body became energized and his senses would flare when he was close. It this had been a normal day of wandering without purpose, he'd go out of his way to look for it. Come to think of it, he should have done so much sooner. The blade of evil's bane was the single key to ending all things heinous in this Hyrule.

"Are you sure this boy knows where he's going?" a low voice whispered close to him. "He's walking almost as if hypnotized. I'm positive he's not aware that he's even moving."

Link twisted his head to look at the Commander over his shoulder, before facing forward to scrutinize Vrel. He did seem a bit stiff, but it was to be expected after going through massive trauma and being forced to return to its source. Vivienne must have really done a number on him for him to end up like this.

"I trust Vrel," Link murmured, almost indiscernibly. "And his memory is the best of everyone's. Even if he's only been to a place once he'll know how to find it again."

A small sigh. "I hope you're right."

From ahead, Zellandus gasped and pointed. "The stone keep!"

Hurrying over, Link and the others entered a glade and there before them rose the crumbling ruins of a temple. He shot a meaningful look at the Commander, to which she rolled her eyes and curled her body, creeping closer. Her sword out in front of her, she motioned them all to silence.

"Alert the enemy to our presence, why don't you?" she said sourly to Zellandus.

Zellandus shrugged awkwardly, offering an apologetic smile.

Adrenaline surged through his veins at the thought of what was to come, his blood already boiling in readiness for battle. He twirled his sword idly, encroaching on the temple fully alert, treading softly.

There was no door of entry, having been blasted away somehow during the course of its existence. They crept quietly onward, footsteps echoing faintly in the corridor.

Zellandus jerked, his ears pricking. "Magic," he whispered, harried. "Lots of it. It's – it's like nothing I've ever felt before. So powerful and golden…"

Deep blue eyes narrowed as Link ploughed on more quickly. That could only be the triforce. He knew that Zelda would not unleash its power unless under dangerous circumstances. His heart rate fluctuated at the implications.

"This way." Zellandus pushed to the front of the procession and led the way. Link trusted the Prince's sensitivity to magic to lead them to their destination. Soon, however, even he could feel the pressure of the magical combination of multiple signatures. It stole the breath from him.

Then, just as suddenly as he felt it, it was gone. All that power vanished in a blink. Zellandus paused and Link looked at him perplexed.

"It's…it's gone," said Zellandus. Rather than devolving into panic, Link focused on something beyond them.

Up ahead a pair of great double doors were open a fraction. Voices could be heard, along with movement and then a loud cry of male torment. Blackness seeped out of the chamber in a thick fog. Link clenched his eyes shut and threw his arm over his face as the fog rolled into the hallway and stifled them. It dissipated in a matter of moments, moments in which a dead silence prevailed and the others tried their best to muffle their coughs.

Rubbing his eyes to clear up his blurred vision, Link inched forward. It took all he had not to charge into the room, sword flailing.

As it was, instinct and hordes of experience, cautioned him to approach in a decisive manner, one dangerous and full of resolve. Rushing only made things worse.

A shrill of manic laughter and Link abandoned his stupid caution and burst through the doors.

The darkness, which pelted him in diabolical surges, originated from a man at the other end of the room. He was down on his hands and knees, panting and laughing all at once, with waves of evil pouring off him, coiling upward in the form of dark clouds.

Link jolted as the man snapped his gaze upward and glared at him with glowing red eyes. The man snarled, then groaned as his arms gave in and he crumpled.

"Well," said a voice from above. "Visitors."

Zellandus pulled up beside him, sword drawn and bared. "Reth DeSange!"

Reth tipped his head. "Highness. Charmed."

Link took stock of who all was in the room. Along with the mysterious man and Reth, there was the Augurer, and trapped in the giant orb Zelda awaited him. The tow he had been most expecting to find were nowhere to be seen. Dasril and Vivienne were both absent.

"Oh, I do love visitors. My Lord, Since we've accomplished what we've set out to do…may I?"

The mysterious man wheezed and pushed up, weakly. "Do as you will. Augurer! Assist me!"

In two short strides the Augurer was at the man's side and heaving him up. Then the room was engulfed in a loud swirl of wind as they teleported away.

Deb swore, while Zellandus cursed more fancifully. The Zoras readied their spears while Vrel shrank back, inching towards the door.

Reth floated lazily down, a gruesome smile marring his face. "Poor Lord Xerthos. Needs his rest you know. Breaking the seal and then absorbing all that power...he's had a busy day. Well now, since he's gone to recuperate, we'll just have to produce some entertainment." He rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

"Reth, you traitor!" shot Zellandus.

"Oh, do shut up. I've never been able to tolerate your bratty tone," said Reth, still smiling wryly. "Tolerance has always been Dasril's forte."

"And where is he?" said Commander Deb.

Dasril's absence was like an unfilled void. How was he to reap his vengeance when the traitor was nowhere to be seen?

Reth laughed cheerily. "Left. Must have been the toll of magic. You see, between the two of us, endurance has always been _my_ forte."

Link's sharp blue eyes bore into the orb, tracing the figure of Zelda. But why was she so still? Why wasn't she moving?

Realization struck him as he reassessed what had been said earlier. "Accomplished what you set out to do… What did you do?!"

The mad minister chortled good-naturedly. "Ho now? That is none of your business. She's alive you know." His beaming orange eyes drifted towards Zelda. "But not for long. I've halted the pathway of air into the sphere, she'll run out soon."

Link let out a strangled cry and charged but Reth swooped down and blocked his path.

"In order to get to her, you must defeat me."

Eyes glinting, he attacked!

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><p><strong>AN: I think I need to work on my action scenes :( Ah well.**

**I noticed that in many LOZ games the antagonist's main objective is to unleash his evil master or to obtain an item that will grant them unlimited power, so I decided to travel along this route. So sorry for those hoping that Link would arrive in time to save Zelda and stop Xerthos' plan. Evil dudes need to succeed too once in a while, and besides, Xerthos was waiting so patiently for his power that I simply had to reward him.**

**Reader 123: I don't think I mention it specifically, but Dasril would be around 21 or 22 years old. So that we're more clear on this: Link is 17, Zellandus is 17 and a half, and Zelda is 19. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Wow, it took a whole month to get this out. Sorry about that ^^' It's undergone a lot of rewrites so hopefully it doesn't sound too muddled, lol. I've also been working on another Zelink story called 'Villainous'. If you're into sappy romance go ahead and check it out. **

**Thank you everyone for the reviews: A True NaZaMi Fan, C-Jam, Generala, PianoPlayer1200, Wolf, Reader, StarOfLink, Death Waltz, Bloodspire, ObscurityProject, Astercia, FallenAngel2298, Schniedragon88, tetraforce theory, Ancient . tree, Cameron, Titan Flavoured Birthday Cake, Guest (oct 18), Guest (oct 25), and SkywardKkalox. **

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><p><strong><span>Chapter<span>**** 22**

Dark tendrils of smoke spread out from Reth's hand and hardened, forming a thin black blade. Reth curled his fingers around the handle as it came into being and swung out. With a fluidity that was inherent in him, Link raised his broadsword in a flash and swiped Reth's blade off course. Reth swerved around, readying another strike.

"Angry are you?" said Reth as their blades clashed, the clang of metal ringing in his ears. "I can see it in your eyes. You want to save her, you're hoping you'll not be too late. But this is not simply the desire of a knight to save his princess, is it? Tell me, what does she mean to you?"

Link roared and pelted Reth with harsh blows, blinded by anger. Each of these Reth easily evaded. Floating backwards, he zigzagged through the air and suddenly rose to the ceiling.

Link made to rush past but Reth once again swooped down and forced him to abort lest he careen into the blade.

He glanced at the orb earnestly. Zelda was running out of time. In a sphere that size the oxygen would be consumed quickly and then she would suffocate. But that damn DeSange was not allowing him near her. He breathed harshly. He had to think clearly, to reign in his rage. To get to her he'd have to defeat Reth.

As the man next swooped in to attack, Link narrowed in on him, all attention focused on that one target. Reth would pay for his involvement!

Reth closed in and he struck.

The thrill of battle raged within him, igniting his veins like fire from Din's forge. Reth was like no warrior he'd ever fought before. He struck then darted back, taunted and played, all the while keeping to the air, quickly dodging away whenever Link came too close.

Link detected a flicker of movement behind his adversary. Commander Deb had skirted their battle and encroached from the rear to help hem Reth in. Link showed nothing in his demeanor that would give her away and kept Reth focused on him as Deb moved in to strike.

"Lord Reth! Behind you!"

Twirling in place, Reth suddenly spiraled upward. He flipped over, boots alighting on the ceiling some thirty feet above their heads. Deb pulled back at the last moment while Link leapt away. He stood stock still and turned slowly to glance over his shoulder.

Full realization didn't come to him until Reth shot his evil glare at the younger man, words vicious and cutting.

"Don't involve yourself in this, boy, you've done your part. Go return to your mistress like a good little whelp."

Vrel's face turned sour as he narrowed on Reth with a hate filled glare. Reth chuckled then raised his arms in front of his face and vanished in a veil of black smoke.

Link felt his hackles rising, knowing that Reth was somewhere still in the room. With wary consideration, he turned to Vrel, panning him with a gaze carefully void of emotion. He did not have the energy for this.

Something cold wrapped within his gut and clenched his insides. An icy trickle slithered down his back as he was all at once filled with horrid disbelief. He fought to calm his beating heart as he gazed at his friend – one of his closest since childhood – with hurt-filled eyes.

"Vrel? What are you doing?" The answer was obvious, however, inwardly he was determined to deny it. This couldn't be Vrel, could it?

At the end of the hall Vrel stood sneering at him, lips pulled back and baring his teeth. Link was taken aback. Every indication of fear or nervousness in the other boy's expression was gone, replaced by something more bitter and vile.

Vrel's treachery was made more apparent as he smiled a cunning smirk and pocketed his hands, a sign of total ease. "You actually believed my little act? For all your importance and grand speech you can be quite the gullible one."

Link narrowed his glare, the hurt morphing into something more sinister. "Is it gullible to trust an old friend?"

Vrel shrugged. "When those friends are readily turncoats, I suppose it is."

"Vrel… You lied?" he hissed, voice becoming darker. "About everything? You're with them!" He would have gone charging after him if it weren't for Laval's voice, rooting him to the spot.

_**Focus hero!**_

Cruel smile in place, Vrel backed away, step by step, slowly heading toward the door. "I believe we've already established that. Now as Lord Reth said, I've finished what I came to do."

The Zoras raised their spears. Sir Vire shot him with a look that was pure accusatory. "So there was something shady about you after all."

Vrel did not reply. Merely smiled at them unrepentantly as he dodged out the doors. "Goodbye, Link."

With force that a normal human was unable to produce, he slammed both heavy doors shut. They shimmered for an instant, indicating that a barrier had been set into place, a barrier meant to keep them in.

The agony of Vrel's betrayal was momentarily cast aside when a pair of footsteps sounded, plodding across the stone.

Reth came to stand by the orb, tilting to the side as he leaned his hand on it, fingers drumming on the glass surface. "Oh my, all this drama. Reminds me of the theatre, you know. I've never much cared for plays. Everything is so predictable, it was always too easy to figure out who's going to murder who, and who's going to betray who and whatnot. In reality, however, it is always best to expect the unexpected. People can be far more different than what they pretend to be. Isn't that so, your highness?"

Link felt the barb that was directed at Zellandus as it cross-fired and shot at them all. They'd all been deceived. It was almost enough to make him sick. Zellandus, to his credit, remained silent, either too angry to formulate a reply or finding nothing suitable to respond with.

Reth pushed off the orb and clasped his hands together in anticipation. "Well, now that that disorderly manner of business is taken care of, I see that we are not yet done, and your princess is not yet free." He shook his head in mock despair. "Pity. I estimate a good four to five minutes before the air is used up. Then it all depends on how long she can hold her breath. In her sorry state I'd say not long."

Link met him with a cold silent glare. Reth merely raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Not going to rush in like a reckless savage? How quaint."

Fist clenching around his blade Link strived to think tactically about the situation, made tedious because his mind and body were screaming at him to charge in and rip this man apart.

Commander Deb sidled up beside him, sword poised and directed at the mad minister. "He'll not stand a chance if we double team him. Reth can't pay attention to all of us at once."

He nodded and curled his body, lowering his head in preparation. "I've been looking forward to seeing the great Commander's skill in action."

Deb gave him a despondent smile. "Let's hope that I don't disappoint."

Link sent Zellandus a meaningful glance, and in a spark of insightfulness, the Prince seemed to understand. Slowly, Zellandus moved away, indicating the Zoras to follow as he skirted the edges of the room.

Reth smiled joyfully. "Ah, Commander! How lovely of you to join in our dance." His feet left the ground as he began to hover. "Although I'm afraid you may not know the steps!" With a cry, Reth shot at them, swords appearing in both hands. Gritting his teeth, Link readied to meet him.

As soon as Reth was in range he vanished. Link heard the breath of a sword behind him and spun to meet Reth who then vanished again. This time he appeared before Deb and the two of them entered a deadly dance.

Swords clanged, and despite the situation Deb smiled. "Really, Reth. By now you should know not to over estimate yourself. You may be able to wipe out a troop of foot soldiers, but we all know you've never held great aptitude for refined combat."

Reth laughed as he raised his blade above his head to block. "On the contrary, I'm in the habit of underestimating myself."

He faded out of existence just as Link plunged his sword through the cavity where his chest used to be. The tapping of shoes against stone drew their attention above where Reth was once again standing upside down on the ceiling like a keese in a cavern.

"Of course, the oh-so-great Commander of the Hyrulean army would need another to support her attack," he tutted chidingly. "Two against one? Not a very good expression of your combat skills."

Link growled lowly. This was fast becoming irksome. It didn't escape his notice how Zellandus and the Zoras had reached the orb and were now trying to figure out a way to break through it. At least they were managing to keep Reth's attention off of that.

He shifted his weight forward, fist tightening around the grip of his sword. "All he does is attack then dart out of my range. I'm unable to catch him."

Deb grunted, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Typical Reth. A bother no matter whose side he's on."

Suddenly a loud clash rang through the room. It shocked Link's system, causing his hair to stand on end. Their focus drew to the far side of the room where one of the Zoras had smashed his harpoon down on the orb, failing to shatter it.

From above Reth tutted. "Oh, that won't do." He left the ceiling, righted himself midair, and flew toward the orb.

Acting quickly, Link was in front of him before he could reach Zellandus. He gave a vicious swipe of warning and Reth darted back, brows pursed in annoyance.

Link found this a most opportune moment to taunt. "You tire of the dance?"

Smiling at the challenge, Reth rolled his shoulders and twirled his swords. "Mayhaps it is that you cannot keep up!"

Link feinted away, pretending to retreat but then came at the minister on the other side. With a fierce strike, Link's sword connected with Reth's who only barely managed to move them into a cross. Reth was sent skidding back through the air, his swords expiring in a whiff of smoke.

Reth swiped sweat-marred hair from his face and righted his tunic, tugging the cuffs to straighten his sleeves. "Well… I was never one for the martial arts anyways. It seems fighting fairly is just not working."

Link's brows furrowed. Reth thought that using the advantage of flight was fighting fairly?

Reth smiled and spread his arms. "I'll just have to extend my arsenal now shall I."

Suddenly the air in front of him was filled with pointed dagger-like shards. Reth's grin widened. "Let's see you dodge this!"

Something foul coiled in his stomach as he imagined what sort of damage those shards could do to a person. Abruptly he shoved Deb, who had come up beside him, out of the way and brought up his shield as Reth flicked his hands and the shards zoomed down on him. The arm holding up his shield tensed at the first volley, each thud of contact sending a jolt down the limb.

Link kept his head lowered for protection. He winced as a number of shards got past and tore open his legs, blood quickly welling up and saturating the cloth of his trousers.

"Oh yes, there it is," called Reth in delight, features animated in the glow of the light streaming in through the cracked windows. "How glorious the color, such a lovely shade of crimson. Bleed more for me! Let us stain the stone permanently with your blood!"

A sickened twist wrenched his stomach. Link tensed as he was forced under another barrage. From somewhere far off he could hear Deb shouting at him, but it was hard to concentrate over the pain in his cut-marred legs. His thighs shook, bloodied and torn as he forced them to keep moving, to steer away from Reth's attack as he strategized.

The biggest problem, he deduced, was Reth's ability to fly. He had the advantage of higher ground, the air was his while Link was rooted.

His eyes suddenly lit up as a plan formed.

He'd just need to bring him down.

In that single second of pause while Reth conjured his shards, Link shakily vaulted to the side and rolled, rearing up, hand reaching in his pouch.

"Yes, run! Spread your blood, let's see it mark the outline of your failure!" Reth spun in place, faster and faster, numerous shards manifesting before him, all poised to strike.

Before he could launch them a blue wave shot through the air, colliding into Reth and knocking him down a few feet. The shards all burst into dust, the air filled with misty particles, hazy in the sunlight.

"Link!"

He snapped his gaze to Zellandus, who was standing by the orb sweat-soaked and pale, his hands still upraised from his use of magic.

"Link," the Prince called. "The orb is not breaking! Nothing we do is effective!"

His heart clenched and his breathing hitched. Dimly he regained awareness. He could see the Zoras futilely banging on the glass with their spear butts to no effect. It didn't even leave a dent. In other places he could see splotches of color where magic had been used, the stone beneath the orb was cracked, spider-webbing outward over the floor. Zelda remained unmoving, oblivious to everything and everyone. So still, as if she were already dead.

A spike of fear shot through him at the thought of losing her. He'd come so far, been through so much without her. He didn't want to live another second alone, his life was lost without her! He'd only just found her; they were so close to being reunited. The Goddesses couldn't take her away. That couldn't happen. He wouldn't let it happen!

"Not again," he whispered, eyes widening in horror.

Courage flared within him, the back of his left hand burned as it reacted to the powerful surge of emotion. He ran to her.

Suddenly Reth appeared before him, vile and sadistic. "You don't honestly think you have a chance at saving her, do you?" His grin deepened to a more sinister form, showing off a mouthful of white teeth. "How precious. That orb is impenetrable. Nothing you do to it will damage it."

Link roared and aimed a powerful slice at the minister's neck, becoming more frustrated as Reth once again took to the air, laughing all the while.

"Link! Quickly! You must do something, we're running out of time!"

Zellandus' shout sent a horrific tremor down his spine. Zelda!

But Reth would not allow him to go to her. Every time he tried to dart past he veered down and stopped him. They engaged in this dance of avoidance, neither one able to strike the other, Link too swift on his feet just as Reth was swift in the air. Deb joined in the attack, striking at the spots Link missed, both trying to anticipate where the minister would appear next. It was proving impossible. Reth moved in a random fashion, no strategy or routine at all to his attack.

"It's useless," Commander Deb's voice called over to Zellandus with rising frustration as she dove in to stab at Reth's side. "What can he do that's not already being done?"

Zellandus snarled defensively. "He's the hero, there must be something he can do!"

Link was in the midst of directing another attack on the agile minister. The man ducked under his swing, and then slid his body sideways to avoid an attack from Deb. He raised an eyebrow. "Not a very competent _hero_," he gushed as he whirled backwards, far enough that he could take a moment to look over at the Prince. "Not when his damsel is dead or dying."

Sharp blue eyes flashed and Link rushed forward with a snarl. Neglecting his sword he brought his fist up and smashed it into the Lord's face. Reth had been focused on the opposing blade so was caught by surprise at the contact of flesh against flesh. He was sent crashing backwards against the wall. Reth's feet touched the ground for the first time during their fight and he staggered, bringing a quavering hand up to delicately touch at the bruise that was manifesting on his cheek. His fingers brushed past and swiped at the curve just beneath his eyes where the contact of Link's knuckle had been enough to split the skin open. He dabbed at the spot and pulled his hand away, dazedly observing the colored taint of his fingers.

"My…blood?"

Link poised his sword in front of him, feeling a smidgeon of triumph. He spoke lowly. "For one who clearly delights in meting out pain you are pathetic when receiving it."

Eyes still transfixed on the liquid dabbling down his fingers, Reth brought his other hand up to partially cover his face as if in embarrassment. "Oh no, I am exceedingly tolerant to pain. It's just…blood… My blood…"

Link didn't want to know what sort of twisted childhood he'd lived through to become that messed in the head, but he could easily provide him with a permanent cure for it. Raising his blade he dove in, but before he could tear through flesh the minister disappeared.

Warily, he and Deb searched the room. They swerved on the spot, scanning both ceiling and floor. Briefly Link wondered if that moment of shock had been the last straw and that Reth had decided to retreat.

Suddenly there was the pounding of footsteps and he swerved in time to see Zellandus skid across the floor, stopping in front of him, arms upheld as blue magic pooled from his fingertips, creating a bright blue dome above their heads. There was a crash of shards as they thundered against it and Reth came into view, dark hair billowing around his head as he stirred the air, orange eyes wide and glistening.

"A trade sound fair to you?" asked Zellandus, breathlessly, glaring up at the minister, his cloak flapping madly around his legs, contributing a flare to his stance. "My turn to face the demon!"

From above them Reth laughed. "Ah, I suppose I should do away with my intended target. That is the reason that whelp led you here in the first place. Lord Xerthos desired that I take care of the primary interference."

Link poised to strike but Zellandus held an arm out. "Go Link! Deb and I can deal with Reth. Go to her!"

He comforted himself with the knowledge that Prince Zellandus was well versed in magic and fighting in general and had Carus should things become too dire. He'd be fine. He could handle Reth. But just in case. "Sir Vire, assist his highness!"

Sir Vire looked up from his attempt at cutting the orb with his razor sharp fins and shot him an abject look. "Quickly, her breaths grow shallow."

Swiftly he ran past to aid Zellandus. As Zellandus, Deb, and the Zora fought off Reth, Link at last reached the orb and dropped beside it, eyes focusing on the figure within.

"Zelda? Zelda!" he called, hands sweeping along the surface trying to feel for any sign of weakness. His mind whirled through his arsenal. Usually he had the necessary items to overcome these things, but his memory revealed nothing that could be used. Not in this situation.

It didn't even shudder as one of the Zoras rammed her harpoon on it. "Blast it! This sorcery is too powerful for me."

"Laval?" Link cried.

_**There's nothing I can do. This place…it is a sacred temple. It saps my energy. I do not think either I or Carus will be able to take form here. Our souls are tarnished with too much darkness.**_

Link saw her through the glass, saw her breathing slow, chest rising and falling weakly. He riffled through his pouches with frantic need, constantly keeping an eye on his Zelda. Her breaths slowed and then with one last small shudder it ceased…

Something broke within him. A damn in his mind came crumbling down, releasing a flood of magic that he found oh so familiar. It overwhelmed his being, and he let it. All emotion left him, but for hot anger and hate and despair.

All at once a golden light filled him as the Triforce of Courage activated, rushing through his system like a bombardment of feeling. His hand burned more than ever. The magic stimulated his senses; he could feel it augment his strength threefold. It was invigorating!

"Shit! We're losing her!" The Zora cried, furtively smashing at the orb. The disarrayed manner with which she wielded her harpoon caused the other Zora to stumble back, away from her wild swinging.

With an uncharacteristic calmness Link stood. Before the Zora could make her next strike he placed his hand on her shoulder and she met his eyes, tears welling up at the corners.

Almost dazedly, she stepped back, allowing him to take her place. His eyes trained on the faded form in the glass. He bent his knees, taking a familiar stance as he drew his sword back. He felt the rush of golden magic pool down his arm, imbuing into his sword. His blade whined against the swarm of power, a glow issued out from it, breaking the air with its harsh illumination.

He tuned out all sounds around him. The battle progressing across the room, Reth's taunting, even the sound of his own steady heartbeat became dim in his ears. He felt the point at the crux of his magic then let it out.

Unhesitantly and almost without thinking he brought his sword around and slashed it horizontally across the orb, blade passing through as if through water, with little to no resistance. At first nothing happened, but then the top of the severed sphere slid along a slight incline and crashed to the ground with a resounding shatter.

The Zoras gaped as Link threw down his sword and reached inside. Grasping Zelda's body around the waist, he pulled her out. He laid her gently on the floor, a good distance away from the shards of broken glass. Bending low, he placed an ear to her mouth, at the same time he grasped her wrist and pressed his thumb against it. She had a faint pulse, but no breath.

Automatically, he pulled her up, embracing her around the shoulders, he brought her mouth to his. He ignored the dryness of her lips, and breathed out. Her chest rose and fell as her lungs inflated with his breath. Gathering air, he breathed again for her, willing her system to wake, to remember how to function on its own. Squeezing her hand, he once again breathed for her.

Her body shuddered and he drew back as Zelda gasped, taking in blessed gulps of air, swollen eyes flying open.

Link's heart fluttered as relief filled him. He brushed tentative fingers across her brow, swiping away stray strands of hair. "Zelda, love?"

Red-rimmed eyes fluttered in exhaustion before shifting to his, glazed and unseeing. She tried to speak but all that escaped was a hoarse gasp, followed by a fit of raspy coughing that sounded as if she had swallowed a box of nails.

Shushing her, he clutched her tight to him, a weight lifting off his shoulders. He had been so close to losing her. So close. He didn't know if he would have been able to live with himself if he had failed.

She lay there, gasping in his arms and giving the occasional shudder. Link took in her appearance, the ragged mop that her usually glossy hair had become, chapped lips, cracked and bleeding. Tear tracks had trailed down her cheeks and dried into crusts, her body felt weightless, it was almost as if he was holding air. Then he caught sight of the blood. Her sleeves were soaked through with dry cracking blood, fingers mangled, he wouldn't doubt that some of them were broken. A small trickle flowed down her head from where she had banged it at one point and he tentatively felt around for the swelling lump.

The power of the triforce still flowed through him, having not yet abated. It flared as he thought of all that they must have put her through. What had they done to her?

A hand fell on his shoulder. The female Zora crouched down beside him and he could hear the frown in her voice. "She needs medical attention."

She made to take her from him and Link instinctively drew back, unwilling to let her go.

"Please, hero. She's just recovered from her experience in the flood cavern. Going through this so soon afterwards is sure to leave extensive damage."

Reluctantly he set her down with careful ease. She made no sound or movement of protest, merely blinked lazily up at him, head flopping to the side as it was laid gently on the floor.

The two Zoras hovered over her, the male exclaiming "Oh Goddesses," before they got to work.

Link closed his eyes and bowed his head, trying to cool the emotional trauma from the thought of her dying. A yelp of pain drew his attention to the battle on the other side of the room.

Eyes snapped open and he picked up his sword, standing on steady legs, the pain from the tears already forgotten. He sent his searing gaze at the mad minister. He would track down those bastards one by one, and he'd kill them. Starting with Reth, he'd see them all writhing in pain.

His triforce fluctuated at his thoughts and he allowed it to consume him. He closed his eyes and exulted in it. He was not overly fond of abusing this power bestowed upon him, but he felt this man deserved the full taste of his wrath.

In the next instance all trace of humanity left him.

He was hero. He was wrath. He was god!

The air around him rippled and the battle going on suddenly paused as both Reth and Zellandus swerved their heads over to him, both sensing the massive influx of power. In turn, the others gazed at him, Commander Deb with an inquisitive frown while Sir Vire showed complete apathy, as if knowing what to expect.

His eyes snapped open and darted over to Reth, revealing an intense blue that seemed to glow with ethereal radiance. Reth's eyes widened as he met Link's glare. Link's vision tunneled, seeing no one but the heartless minister. He'd only known the man for a short while, seen his true nature for barely a few minutes yet he hated him with all the passion of his being.

"You! But how?" Reth raised a hand as if to feel phantom tendrils of magic as it poured out of Link in waves, filling the room with its intensity.

Zellandus gasped and took a step back. "L-Link?"

He lowered his sword and relaxed his limbs. He no longer cared that this was a fellow Hylian he was pitted against. It was not as if he hadn't murdered his own race before.

Crouching low, he coiled to spring. He was a hero, but because of that he was also a killer.

Link's eyes flashed. "Zellandus take care of Zelda." Muscles bunched, tendons and ligaments bolstered with the divine power. He growled low. "This demon's mine!"

Then he sprang.

In two leaps he had cleared the distance between them and swung his empowered sword at the minister. Reth, having not expected the speed at which Link now moved, was taken by surprise and barely managed to put up his blade in time to block Link's attack. The blades locked in a spray of sparks. Reth's arm trembled with the effort of pushing the hero back. He scrunched his face, eyes revealing a hint of worry. Link grit his teeth and pushed forward. A crack sounded, followed by a shatter as Reth's mist blade exploded into pieces then vaporized into nothing.

Reth yelped and soared backward as Link shot toward him, readying another assault. Reth swept his hand up in an arc. A long thick cloud of mist sprouted in its wake then hardened, cold metal glinting against the light, shaping into an enormous spear. Reth grasped it in both hands and twirled it in an attempt to keep Link at bay, but Link was not dissuaded. He'd gone against foes wielding long weapons before. It did not matter that they had a farther reach; he'd still be able to get within their guard.

Link could feel the physical enhancement of courage extend to not only his muscles and bones, but to his senses as well. He could practically smell Reth's uncertainty, his fear. He savored in it, using it as a drive to urge him forward. There were only a few instances where he had not regretted slaying a fellow Hylian. This would be one of them.

Reth twirled and whipped the spear at his head. Link bent backwards, watching the pointed tip fly over him. He then flipped over and ducked low, sword clanging as he swiped away the next attack. Reth jabbed in and Link snatched the cold metal, pushing it to the side. He darted in and aimed a thrust at Reth's abdomen, managing to clip him in the side as the minister twisted away.

Abandoning the spear, Reth soared back out of Link's reach. He floated in the air, panting all the while staring at Link.

Seeing his opponent had fled, Link growled lowly, pacing like a hungry wolf as he waited for Reth to strike.

Reth gulped and tried hard to regulate his breathing. "Of course… If Wisdom was to exist, then why not Courage as well? The two Triforce pieces destined to forever follow each other. You are he, aren't you? The Hero of Legend? Oh this goes far beyond Lord Xerthos' plans." His arms shook as he created another sword out of the mists. "I do – I do hope my Lord is adaptable."

He waved his hand and the shards appeared, spinning in place as if readying to burry holes into Link's body.

Link acted quickly. As soon as the shards began their descent Link brought his hookshot to bear. Taking aim, he pressed the latch. The point shot through the barrage of shards and landed in Reth's shoulder with a thunk. Reth rounded his eyes in surprise and dawning horror, his concentration lost. The shards disappeared. Link pressed the button again and the coil began winding up, their equal weights causing Reth to be pulled down while Link flew up. Link aimed his sword, ready for when they met in the middle.

Reth, however, regained his senses and disappeared, leaving Link to fall the few feet to the floor. Link landed with a roll, his hand jolting as the coil of his hookshot finished reeling in, the point dripping blood.

Reth staggered into existence on the opposite end of the room, far enough away that if Link struck he'd have ample time to dodge or flee. He wobbled on his feet, pressing a hand against his shoulder where blood welled up and flowed around it, coating his hand in crimson stickiness.

He looked at Link, shocked, looked down at his wound then looked at Link again. His mouth gaped, opening and closing wordlessly. "Y-you…"

And then he fell. Slumping to his knees, his arms became lifeless on either side of him. A wind stirred the air, swirling rapidly until it became a vortex around him. Reth emitted a cold murmur. It rose louder and louder until Link realized that it was not actually a murmur at all. Reth was laughing.

_**Beware, hero!**_

Pacing slowly in the minister's direction, Link tensed as Reth suddenly stopped and narrowed his eyes at him.

"You did this to me! You repugnant miserable hero!"

A harsh gale tore through the room, snapping at hair and fins, tearing at clothing, until it bunched around Reth and he rose to his feet.

Link raised his sword, eager to engage once more.

The ground suddenly quaked and they all staggered to find their footing, even Reth, who had not yet taken to the air. There was a dim succession of thuds and then the doors barring the entry into the chamber burst inwards, the film of transparent energy over them seeming to shatter.

All heads turned to the man who stood in the doorway, cloak floating about him as it came to rest, dark hair unbound and hanging haphazardly around his shoulders, and eyes swollen. He strode in the room, calculative eyes darting about every corner, taking in each and every person before settling on something far back.

Reth gave a lazy smile. "Oh good, you're here Dasril," he said adroitly, feet lifting off the ground. "Now you can help me dispose of these pests."

Dasril ignored him, eyes earnest as he took a tentative step forward. The train of his gaze was on Zelda and Link growled under his breath. How dare he!

"Zelda…is she alright…?"

Dasril appeared to take no heed of the many glares directed at him. It was Zellandus who answered him, the inflection in his voice vindictive and harsh. "No, as a matter of fact. Does it gladden you to hear this? To know that you've succeeded in causing her unimaginable torment?"

Link thought he saw Dasril wince as his shoulders slumped. "I didn't….I…"

Idly Link twirled his sword. How fortunate for him. It seemed that the very devil he wished to kill had presented himself to him. He'd never approved nor participated in the purposeful causing of pain, torture was the Sheikah's department, but he couldn't help but muse on which man he'd be able to prolong the death of longest.

He could take them both at once. Dismember them so they couldn't run away and then…

"So much time wasted on talk," shot Reth, cape billowing behind him like the torn wings of a bat. "Come, Dasril, let us end these misbegotten pests and bring in Lord Xerthos' new age with flesh and blood."

Link dashed in, unwilling to allow them the first move. He charged at Dasril, knowing Reth's injury would make him easier to bring down. Dasril had to be weakened first.

But before he could strike a circle of fire rose around the Lord, rising almost to the ceiling. A hissing red serpent took form and it slithered around before taking them all by surprise and striking at Reth. The other Lord saw the attack coming and flashed out, and this time he didn't reappear.

Reth's voice suddenly filled the room, seemingly from nowhere. "Treachery! What is the meaning of this, Dasril? What has become of you?"

Dasril answered, clearly and defiantly. "You may relay to Lord Xerthos that I have have broken my allegiance to him. I withdraw any claim I have to his power. I would have nothing more to do with any of you."

"You've betrayed our Lord... our very cause…" Reth's dumbstruck voice resonated about the room and Link swerved to find its source. "How dare you! Lord Xerthos shall hear about this, Dasril. Enjoy this respite while it lasts, for soon there will be untold bloodshed upon the land. You all shall suffer as none have before." He laughed. "I shall see to it."

And then he was silent. He was truly gone.

There was a calm moment as they all silently took in what had happened. Link then turned to Dasril, who was staring forward unaffected.

He pounced.

Throwing down his sword so as not to cede to the temptation to end him early, Link battered him with a barrage of punches, going for the stomach, chest, and most promiscuously, his face.

There was no pause in his assault. He was too infuriated, too angry to even realize that Dasril was not fighting back. His arm had lifted in an automatic guard of defense, but that was the extent of his reaction.

With each punch, Link pushed him back until he tripped and fell over, then Link was upon him, straddling him, raining blows to any area he could see.

"You decrepit-minded bastard! Deceitful mongrel!"

From somewhere far away he could hear people shouting his name. Everything, however, was dimmed, but for the blood pounding in his ears and the heat of the Triforce searing his veins, urging him to use its power. And he would. By the Goddesses he'd end this miserable cretin if it was the last thing he did.

But then a voice penetrated his senses. His voice, the one he had associated with Zelda for months on end. Calm and emotionless, it coaxed him to listen.

"Stop, Link. You're killing him. You need to calm down. Get off of him and back away."

Confusion welled up inside him. Why was he telling him to stop? Didn't Zellandus want the bastard dead? It would be so easy. A quick twist of the head and his neck would snap as simple as breaking a toothpick. He'd beat him first and then end him.

But Zellandus was insistent. "Link…stop it."

And it was that tone; that disappointed tenor, so like Sheik's, that caused him to relent. Slowly the punches stopped as Link backed off and got to his feet. Vaguely he could feel his sore knuckles, his gloves having done a small amount to protect them but the repeated blows negated their effect. He stood shaking, eyes transfixed with some satisfaction on the battered Lord, his face bloody and beginning to swell.

The once esteemed Lord Foulkes lay there motionless until Zellandus addressed him. "You're not a dog, Dasril. Get up off the floor." His voice was nonchalant but Link detected a note of contempt to it. Dasril obeyed, pushing himself up. He held his head in his hand and uttered not a word of complaint.

"I…I may have deserved that…" spoke Dasril quietly.

"Oh you deserve more than that, but we'll get to the specifics later," Zellandus said frostily, eyes narrowing. Carus' shadow extended out formidably beneath him, shaping into sickles. "Depending on how you answer my questions."

Figuratively he was held at sword point and Dasril gulped as if realizing this. Link tensed, instinct driving him to slice his throat, but he held back and did as Zellandus commanded. He had to soothe his anger, somehow find a reason to stop the flow. Courage thrummed within him and he mentally searched for a way to cease its power.

He turned to Zelda, who was being cared for by the two Zoras, and went to her. He felt the drop of adrenaline immediately. The power of the Triforce flushed away in a heartbeat as his attention was focused on her, on tending for her and seeing to her wellbeing.

He crouched at her side and brushed a shaky hand through her haggard tresses. "How is she?"

The Zoras opted not to answer. Rather than becoming angered, Link fell into somber contemplation. Her injuries were extensive, through Courage he could sense her soul beginning to waver as if at any moment it was liable to flicker out. Silently he prayed. She was Nayru's favored, surely the Goddess wouldn't allow her die, at least not before they'd saved the land.

With the fading of Courage, he felt the sudden drain on his body. The use of the Triforce had left in its wake a massive loss of energy. His limbs became heavy and his joints shook. The pain in his legs returned full force and he grit his teeth to temper it. This was why he rarely used his Triforce piece. It gave him a handy surge of strength, but in the end it left him weak and vulnerable. He wouldn't even be able to lift his sword right now.

His ears flickered tiredly as he absently listened to what Zellandus had to say.

"Who do you serve?"

Dasril's voice was firm as he answered. "You mean to ask who did I serve? If you'd quite forgotten, I'd broken all ties with Lord Xerthos and his lot just now."

"NO!" Zellandus shot out. "Who do you serve? At this moment, where do your loyalties lie?"

Silence, then a despondent sigh. "The Princess Zelda… She and none other."

Link felt his fury once again rising, but upon hearing a small whimper escape Zelda he immediately stifled it.

Zellandus gave a stiff nod. "Right… Commander, bind him. He shall be taken to the castle where I shall decide his fate."

Link's weren't the only teeth that gnashed at the order. Deb practically growled as she responded heatedly. "The punishment for a traitor is death. I say we have him executed on the spot."

"As much as I am very tempted to agree with you," said Zellandus, showing uncharacteristic diplomacy at the situation, "he has information that we need. Also there are other matters that need to be addressed, and this is hardly the place to do so. I would also like to see my sister cared for properly as soon as possible. A decrepit temple is hardly a sanitary environment."

Looking suitably contrite, Deb bowed her head and roughly shoved her sword into its sheath and untied the sash from around her waist. She shoved Dasril around and pulled his wrists together, expertly knotting the sash and tugging it tight.

"You know, I can just burn it off," said Dasril.

Commander Deb smiled. "It's not meant to restrain you. It's so your arms don't flail about."

Opening his mouth to question her further, Deb landed a harsh blow to the back of his head, knocking him out. She reluctantly caught him as he slumped and proceeded to haul him over her shoulder.

Seeing that they were about to leave, Link forced himself to stand, swaying a little as he experienced a blood rush. He made no protest as Sir Vire came and gently picked Zelda up. As he was now, woozy and tired, he didn't trust himself not to drop her should he try and carry her.

Gingerly, he took two unsteady steps forward before tilting dangerously to the side.

"I say," said Zellandus, as he caught Link by the arm before he could topple over. "Whatever is the matter with you, Link?"

It took all of his willpower to keep his eyes open as he tried to stay semi-upright. But that inevitably failed as darkness edged into his vision before consuming it completely.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Link on limit break or rage mode or whatever! That was fun to write. It's sort of satisfying what he did to Reth. I can't imagine how much a hookshot to the shoulder would hurt. And here Dasril get's a well-deserved thrashing. You guys think that's punishment enough for him? Yes...no...maybe...absolutely not? (Probably that last one, huh)**

**_Cameron_: Oh my! Four reviews for one chapter? I'm honored ^^. I didn't know that part would effect you so much. No, I've never been to Auschwitz, but I do know quite a bit about history. I've read enough books and watched enough documentaries to know what happened in those concentration camps and it is very horrifying. Although my inspiration for that scene didn't quite come from that, it came from a horror movie that I watched years ago (can't remember which), but the sight of those nail marks on the walls have stayed with me ever since.**

**I'm afraid I'm going to have to disappoint you in regards to Dasril (so sorry!). He's still needed in the plot, and until his usefulness runs out I can't quite kill him yet (actually I haven't yet decided whether to do away with him or not. We'll see how it goes). **

**Hope you all enjoyed, and please leave a review. I love reading your comments and hearing about what parts you like the best!**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: This was done sooner than I had anticipated, and it's my longest chapter yet. There was just so much I had to cover. Your reviews are so inspiring, it encourages me to write more! **

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed: Tyler, Death Waltz, Wolf, ObscurityProject, Bloodspire, Guest (Nov 2), Schniedragon88, Generala, FallenAngel2298, SpartanECHO, A True NaZaMi Fan, diabolical . me, vrave1, Ancient . tree, Reader, tetraforce theory, ShadowQueenMidna, PrincessPeach, 11lol11, Astercia, Cameron and Angel!**

**Another thing: I've begun to revise the chapters I've already posted. The new version of chapter one is finished if you're interested in reading it. I seriously need to go over and edit the rest of the chapters ^^' All in due time.**

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><p><span><strong>Chapter 23<strong>

The hooded man walked silently through the corridors, footsteps padding softly on the stone as he made barely a sound. It was well into night, darkness consumed the castle in its tragic cloak, only broken by the glow of the torches mounted on sconces along the walls.

It was easy evading the guards, having long learned their regular patrol routes and the precise moments their shifts changed. He snuck down to the lower levels of the castle heading toward the dungeons. A winding staircase took him down far beneath the earth's surface. Already he could hear the moans and crying of men and women, all criminals of the vilest acts, the scum of Hyrule.

They would find no pity from him. They had each been trialed and found guilty in their own right. But there was one who had yet to undergo a trial. He had been thrown in the dungeons straight out without ever gracing the courtrooms.

It was this man he was going to see.

He hid in an archway as one of the guards on duty walked past then continued down. His goal lay at the end of the hallway. His strides slowed as he approached the hard metal door. It was not by any means the highest security cells, but it was segregated in its own room. Swiftly he pulled out the keys he had swiped earlier and let himself in. He took a torch from the wall before closing the door firmly behind him.

"Ah, it's you."

He turned at the sound of the droll voice, flashing the light of the torch on a set of bars and the sallow man who lay on the small cot behind them.

"I see authority holds no sway over you," said the Lord Dasril Foulkes in a tone that was uncaring. He lay on his back, staring at the ceiling with his hands behind his head. "You've been banned from coming to see me yet this is the fifth time I'm graced with your presence. How humbling that you would take all those measures."

Link threw off his hood, blue eyes hard and glinting in the darkness. "Save your idle prattle, you're just wasting my time."

"Oh, but idle prattle is the speech of the nobility," Dasril answered. "Although, you would know that, wouldn't you. So adapted you have become to our customs. It's a shame that there's no lineage behind you to fortify your right to mingle among us."

Link approached the bars and stood stiffly, staring down at the man. Dasril had become gaunt in his short time in prison. Sallow and pale from the lack of sunlight, although he didn't look skeletal yet. He hadn't released a word of complaint since being brought here, and the report was that he was even finishing all his meals, although Link had a suspicion that he was bribing the guards for better quality food. Most nobles would have rejected the tasteless meals brought to them.

Dasril sat up and swung his legs over the side of the cot. He squinted and held a hand up to shield his eyes against the glow of the torch. "How is she?"

Link grit his teeth and remained silent. Instead he unearthed from beneath his cloak a tall bottle filled with sloshing red liquid.

The minister's eyes narrowed, his grip on the flimsy mattress tightening. "Fine. Interrogation first. Well, what poison have you brought for me this time?"

Link had discovered, after his first visit, that Dasril had a penchant for fine alcoholic drink and was vastly more talkative – or at least more reasonable – after being bribed with a nice bottle from the castle's wine cellars. At this point Link was ready to grasp at whatever advantage he had.

Stooping down, Link placed the bottle on the ground just past the bars. Casually, Dasril walked over and picked it up. He swirled the bottle for a few moments, face falling in a frown at seeing that it was less than half full. He didn't say anything, however, as he sat back on the cot, popped off the cork and took a swig.

Link wrinkled his nose in antipathy. "This would be much easier if you just told us all that you know."

Dasril ignored him and took another swig, and even though he was downing the drink as fast as a sailor, he did it in a way that appeared somehow more refined. Even trapped in his dank cell his manners were that of a nobleman.

Link had his hand on the grip of his sword, aching to pull it out and lop through the loathsome man's skinny neck. "Think of Zelda," he said harshly. "You said that you serve her and yet you withhold information that would help her country."

"Has it ever occurred to you," Dasril interrupted, his voice laced with steel, "that I am not the fool you take me for?"

Link kept silent at that, fist clenching over his sword hilt.

Dasril scoffed, a sound of contempt. "I know this game we play," he muttered, looking down at his drink. "I know that at this point the block is the only thing that awaits me. You think I'm fool enough to disclose all my secrets and give away my leverage?"

Link bit his lip to stave off his nasty retort. Instead he tried to channel Zellandus and be diplomatic. "I would imagine that Zelda would want this. Do this for her."

As much as he hated using Zelda as a means of coercion, Link felt that there was no other way. He was tired of fighting for the bits and pieces that Dasril offered them. Tired of sneaking down here every other day with more liquor to bargain.

For a second Dasril's face fell before it once again became nonchalant. "Is she well?" he pressed, igniting Link's fury.

"Yes," he intoned dryly, "as well as she can be. Not that you have a right to inquire."

The minister nodded solemnly then scooted back on the cot. Leaning against the wall, he took another swig. "Good. Once she awakes and if she bids I'll tell _her_ everything I know."

Link furrowed his brow. "Somehow I don't think she'll be inclined to see you…ever."

Rather than give some sort of nasty remark, pain flashed in Dasril's eyes as he muttered, "I know."

They stilled, becoming silent as they heard the footsteps of a guard walk past. It was fortunate that this particular cell had no windows or cracks under the door for the light to shine through. It had been forged of thick steel, inset so firmly in the frame that not even air passed through. The oxygen Dasril received was from a small vent high up on the ceiling, and even if he could reach it he'd have to be a rat to squeeze inside it.

The footsteps faded and both men relaxed. Link mentally cursed Brula's interference and Zellandus for siding with her in forbidding him to come down here. For some strange reason they thought that he was liable to kill the minister should he be allowed anywhere near him.

How utterly ridiculous…

He realized that his hand had been drooping and held the torch a bit higher. "What can you tell me about the Augurer?" Link asked with little preamble. "Who is he?"

Dasril gave a low chuckle, shoulders shaking. He swiped a hand to push back his greasy hair. "Oh, that is the wrong question you should be asking, great hero," he said snidely.

"What is he then?" Link's irritation with the man grew stronger the more Dasril answered him with his vague responses.

Dasril smirked. "Mayhaps next time," he said, holding out the mostly empty bottle and swirling it. "If you bring me something finer."

Did his repugnant selfishness never wane? He hated catering to him like this. Link stilled the hand inching out his sword. Once again he had to remind himself that losing his temper would be satisfying only for a short time, it would not be at all beneficial in the long run.

He inhaled deeply to calm himself, removing his hand from the hilt to pinch the brim of his nose. "About Lord Xerthos," he began, taking a moment to think about his wording. "How did he know about this artifact, this power? Where did he learn that such an object existed in Hyrule?"

"Ah, a most pressing question," said Dasril, frowning as he noticed he'd finished off the rest of the wine. He was only partially tipsy, his words had become slowed but his mind was not yet affected. "Let us just say…that he came to claim his inheritance."

Link's ears perked up. "Inheritance."

"Of course you wouldn't know," replied Dasril, shooting Link a furtive glance. "You remember that story I told the Prince about the demon, Enandri? I assume he relayed it to you?"

Link gave a stiff nod, uneasy at where this was going.

Dasril reclined against the wall, placing the empty bottle on the mattress beside him. "Well then, Lord Xerthos just so happens to be the direct human descendent of that demon." He then scoffed wistfully. "Or so he tells."

Shock flooded his system and he was astounded by the magnitude of it. His mind whirred madly at the impossibility of it, but he couldn't detect a single hint of a lie from the minister. His stare spoke firmly of his confidence, as if he fully believed what he had just declared.

"But – but the demon had been imprisoned," said Link, his mind working to formulate the answer. "He had wasted away locked up in a cell."

Dasril shrugged, lips formed in a smirk. "A time before your memories began, I assume?" he said coldly. "How little you must know of suffering and history."

Link snagged the bars, rattling them as he slammed the torch against them, teeth bared in a snarl. "My whole existence is suffering! Over and over I am made to suffer until light can once again be brought back to Hyrule," he hissed hoarsely, enraged. "I endure and then I am rewarded, that is what my existence entails. I have not only seen Hyrule's darkest times, I've lived through them as well. I've gone through untold trials to see to their end." He cast a glance around the cell, face turning in disgust. "Your little imprisonment is a pittance compared to what Zelda and I have been through."

Shrugging, Dasril averted his gaze. "Indeed it is," he said, fidgeting with a loose thread on his sleeve. He still wore the clothes he'd been wearing upon being apprehended. They were dirty and worn, but not overall spoiled. "In a war torn country just beginning to recover from endless years of imprisonment Hyrule's system must have been somewhat of a mess. I imagine more than a few cells were shared."

Realization dawned in Link's eyes and he took a step back, lips thinning. "You mean…"

"By consent or rape, one of the women in that cell was impregnated with the demon's seed," he spoke tiresomely. "The truth must have been instilled in each child thereafter, all made to search for the artifact. In the end it was finally found by Lord Xerthos."

"So this Lord Xerthos is truly the spawn of a demon," Link mused, horrified and intrigued by the information.

"That is the assumption," said Dasril. "Although I am uncertain about the verity of the conjecture."

"And now he has his forefather's power," Link went on with increasing apprehension.

"A demon remade," said Dasril. "If it helps, know that Lord Xerthos' element is darkness, the demon Enandri's was lightning, although expect horrifying amounts of each. Who knows by how many fold his power has been amplified."

"Is there a way to reverse this," asked Link, looking at Dasril intently past the bars. "How do we stop this?"

Dasril simply stood. Picking up the empty bottle, he placed it gently on the floor near the bars. "Enough questions for the day," he said morosely. "I tire."

Link didn't know whether to believe that Dasril was saving that information for later or if he didn't have an answer for it. Link bent to pluck the bottle by the neck and hid it away in his cloak.

It looked like that was all he'd be getting for today. Hopefully the Prince would have some luck with him on the morrow. Turning to leave, he stopped as Dasril spoke.

"One last thing," Dasril said quietly, settling back onto his cot.

Link paused. Hand on the doorknob, he turned his head to look back over his shoulder.

Dasril's voice seemed to deepen as it filled with severity. "Be wary of those around you. Don't let anyone you do not trust implicitly anywhere near Zelda."

Link whipped around. "Are you saying that Xerthos has spies in the castle?"

The minister fixed him with an amused gaze. He tilted his head. "You fool boy. Lord Xerthos has spies _everywhere_."

Link hurried out of the cell, his mind full of disturbed thoughts.

* * *

><p>It was a slow awakening. Voices pried her from the darkness, murmuring and persistent. They pierced through her unconsciousness and drew her to hazy awareness.<p>

She was fatigued and weak, her body heavy and senseless. She felt listless in her semi conscious state. Her eyelids were unyielding to her demands to open.

The murmurings became louder, more formed and better articulated…before abruptly fading into nothing as she fell back to unconsciousness.

She woke to a world covered in darkness. She felt her eyes open to slits but nothing came into her vision, just a bleary mass of grey. Her nerve endings resumed their function and introduced her to a torrent of pain. Voices shouted, something wet touched her face and there was wailing mixed with screaming. It hit her then that it was _her_ wailing and screaming. It was a blessing when she drew into unconsciousness once more.

The third time she awoke her vision was filled with white instead of grey. Her throat was sore and she was thirsty, but she was too tired to ask for water, too tired to think. Her body felt numb all over and it was heaven compared to the agony she had experienced earlier.

There was a pressure as someone held her hand, thumb stroking the back in a comforting gesture. Again there were voices. She tried listening to what they were saying but she was just too tired. So tired… All she wanted to do was sleep…

The fourth time she woke the world was still that milky shade of white, as if a bright light had been flashed in her face and her eyes had yet to adjust to the after effects.

Her surroundings were clearer to her this time. She could feel the softness of bed sheets beneath her, a heavy blanket coating her above. A cool breeze had entered the room, filled with the scent of early winter, of frost coating the grounds and chilliness in the air. She breathed it in through her nose, blinking, she wished she could see. She'd always loved autumn, hadn't she? The colors as the leaves converted from green to red and yellow, the scent of the forest in its first stages of decay, the feel of the biting rain on her skin.

"When will she be able to see again?"

She listened silently to the man's voice, smooth and soft. Where had she heard him before? He was so soothing, so familiar…

"Her eyes are still milky, eh? Sometimes people when they endure immense trauma become blind for a while. How long it will last, I can't say. A week, months, years, anything is possible, but by the most common prognosis it shouldn't last more than a few days."

"It's been a week already."

The voices fell silent. But she didn't want them to stop. The man's was so reassuring, so comforting, she longed to hear more from him. She inhaled a breath to speak but nothing was forthcoming. She hadn't the energy for talk; her mouth was incapable of forming the words.

"Where's Link off to, do you know?"

The elderly woman's voice responded, "Stalking the halls like a poe, no doubt. I send him out to eat and get some rest and he ends up doing precisely the opposite. He'll wander around for a bit then come back when he thinks a suitable amount of time has passed that I won't chastise him."

"I can't say that I'm any better."

"If you were not Prince and I not required to obey your every command…"

"Not my every command," said the man with some amusement. "Just some of them. You tend to pick and choose."

Rallying what little strength she had she slowly turned her head towards the voices, trying to pinpoint the man's. Her eyes stared blankly forward, fleetingly wondering if she even remembered what it was like to see.

There was the sudden screech of a chair and then her hand was grasped tightly in two larger ones, warm and calming.

"Zelda? Can you hear me? Did you see that, Brula? She's not merely staring this time."

The shuffling of footsteps and cool tap of a cane as another presence neared her.

The woman sighed. "My Prince, that could just be a coincidence…"

"No!" said the man persistent. "She turned her head. She's awake, she heard my voice, I'm sure of it. Zelda, if you can hear me please answer. Squeeze my hand!"

So strong, so soothing…

"Zelda?"

She was glad he was here with her.

"Zelda."

His voice faded as if getting farther and farther away until it had gone…

The next time she woke she felt moderately better. Blearily her eyes blinked open and she was momentarily confused by the sights before her as color and shapes invaded her vision. She was in a large room, light shone through a multitude of windows, each thrown open to receive as much clean air as possible.

She was bundled warmly under a heaping pile of blankets, facing up at a white canopy. Transparent white bed curtains hung around her in furls and through them she saw someone sitting on a chair at her bedside. She was short and old, face full of wrinkles, back stooped and leaning on a cane planted on the floor between her feet. Her gaze was an intense red.

Zelda peered inquisitively at her. The woman leaned forward, the shadows seeming to cling to her.

She took a breath as if preparing to say something and then released it, shaking her head. "My, what a fix you've gotten yourself into."

She scrunched her brow perplexed. The woman saw this and murmured something under her breath.

"How do you feel? Are you well enough to speak?"

Zelda opened her mouth but all that came out was a raspy cough. She winced, suddenly aware of how sore her throat was. She desperately wanted some water, but didn't know how to convey this without words. Fortunately, the woman – Brula, if she remembered the voice correctly from before – saw her need and poured her a cup from a jug on the side table.

She moved to grasp it but Brula pulled it away. "Your hands are shaking too much for this task. Here. I will hold it as you drink."

The cup was placed at her lips and steadily tilted, cool water flowing into her mouth. She drank it greedily, trying not to wince as every swallow pained her. She choked as suddenly she was thrown into a coughing fit. The cup was hastily pulled away as Zelda worked to catch her breath, throat aching. Brula used a cloth to dab at the dribble on her chin then smoothed her hair away from her face.

Brula smiled at her kindly. "My poor Zelda," she said quietly. "I should scold you for what you've done, despite the state that you are in, but I can't find it within myself to do so. Be grateful, us Sheikah are not oft so lenient."

Sheikah?

An image of the woman's red eyes flashed in her mind. She then turned to stare into those same horrific eyes, the color of blood.

"_We walk in shadow, we walk in blood…"_

The shadow folk; the hidden law keepers of Hyrule; torturers and assassins…

"Lucky for you the Prince and Link are not here to see you've awoken," she continued, caressing her face with a wrinkled old hand. "Then the whole castle would be a place of utter chaos. They were difficult enough to shoo from your room, but they need their rest. Prince Zellandus is determined to carry on as if nothing has happened so has resumed his princely duties. We've decided, for now, it would be best if people were ignorant of your presence here. At least until you're better and until you can help reverse this little spell you've cast upon everyone."

Link…? Zellandus…? Her brother?

She was in the castle… they were somewhere here with her? She wasn't supposed to be here. Why wasn't she supposed to be here? Why was she here?

And then the memories came flooding back…

Her birthday celebration, realizing what she had to do, requesting Dasril for help, travelling, forever roaming and searching, looking upon Link's face as he slept, running from him, and hiding, breaking into the wooden fortress and facing the Augurer, dank dark tunnels with no end in sight, a roar, water flooding her mouth, a huge serpentine beast, Helerra Queen of the Zoras, Lake Hylia, Link…he'd found her! Running again, she couldn't bare to face him, returning to the manor, Dasril, long hot passionate kissing and an aching need, then blackness all around her, and a temple…the orb, a ritual and unimaginable pain. Pain like she'd never felt before, as if something was pulling at her soul, tearing, shredding, forcing the magic out of her, twisting and warping it for a malicious purpose…

Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, hammering against her ribcage, wanting to burst out. Zelda stared blankly ahead as convulses wracked her body. All she could think about was that endless pain and terror.

She could hear shouting dimly in the distance. Her eyes picked up people rushing into the room, swarming around her, yet she did not see them. She did not feel as they used their magic on her to calm her down, and then someone was picking her up and she was being carried across the room.

"She's burning up!"

"Quickly! She must be doused in cold water!"

The world tilted and everything swayed and then suddenly her system jolted at the biting feeling of cold all around her. Her teeth chattered as she panted. She was so hot, yet too cold. She cringed as phantom spasms of pain shot through her. She flailed her arms, desperate to get out. The cold…it was too much!

Her head was grabbed, hands pressed against her sodden cheeks, hot against her freezing skin.

"Zelda! Zelda, listen to me! You're going to be alright. You're going to be okay, just calm down. Please, stay with us."

Through her glazed vision a face came into focus and a single word entered her mind.

Link!

Shivers shook her body as a low groan escaped her. Ever so slowly her heart rate steadied and her flailing stopped, her energy giving out. Her teeth were clenched as she breathed through them, giving out the occasional shudder.

She was so cold…so hot. Her head felt thick and heavy in his hands; she was unable to hold it up by herself. He gently leaned her back against the tub, his hand smoothing over her sweaty tendrils of hair.

"You're safe, Zelda. It's going to be alright."

Oh, Link… her mind sighed.

Vaguely she could feel as her clothes were peeled off her. Her skin burned as more cold water was added to the tub. She blinked slowly, sweat streaming down her face.

"L-Li-nk"

"Shhh," he hushed her, cradling her head. "I'm here."

Gold flashed behind her eyes and a renewed burning erupted on the back of her hand. Her mind suddenly cleared, wisdom acting to lock away the worst of her memories in its defensive hold. It liberated her mind, giving way to a sense of peace.

Unbidden, darkness rose to meet her. She fought against it; she didn't want to go back to the darkness, in it she felt empty and dead.

She barely felt alive while listening to Brula as she spoke to Link, her voice grave. He answered with a sharp retort, but Zelda could hardly hear it. It was as if watching everything from afar, as if she wasn't truly in her body.

In moments she was swept away by the darkness.

Voices could be heard from her bedside. Link and Zellandus were there, arguing, their voices reduced to low hissing as they tried and failed to keep quiet. Zelda remained as she was and kept her eyes closed, content just to listen.

"We forbade you from seeing him! You were not allowed anywhere near the dungeons, anywhere near Dasril! Is my command not good enough? Do I have to have you physically restrained in order for you to obey?"

"And what harm has it done?" argued Link. "I have been receiving as much if not more information than you and Brula have."

"That is irrelevant," returned Zellandus. "The point is that you are too easily provoked! There's a reason that Brula and I thought it best that you stay away from the man."

"I haven't been provoked yet."

"Only because he hasn't attempted it. Tell me that if he went too far with his taunting that you would not react."

Silence.

"My point exactly."

"I would have refrained myself!"

"Oh? And you did a good job of that back in that dastardly forest temple now did you. How commendable, your efforts of restraint have led to the literal defacing of a man."

"He was healed immediately afterwards. There's not a mark left on him from what I have done."

"Oh, that makes it all right now, does it? As long as he's healed up and fit in the end whatever is done to him doesn't matter."

"You should have left him to rot in pain," Link snarled.

"What I did was an exchange of favors," said Zellandus, footsteps drawing closer. "I ordered that his wounds be healed and he released valuable information about this Xerthos fellow, quite the vile thing."

"And is that any different from what I am doing?" countered Link, crossly. "I exchange wine for information."

"I don't like how it is _you_ that are doing the coercion," Zellandus muttered. There was the creek of a chair as he sat down. "That man is a fickle being. He is a man of politics, he knows how to play people to get what he wants. He is patient and abiding, opting to do whatever is in his best interest given the circumstances. And you, hero, are too gullible for your own damned good!"

"Gullible?" Link hissed lowly.

"You don't know him as I do," continued Zellandus with a sigh. "How can you see truth from lies. For all you know he's been feeding you false information."

"I assure you," Link seethed a deadly sound, "that all information I have gathered from him is the truth. Recall that I've more experience with lies and politics than you do."

"Oh yes, do inform me when you cease inflating your ego," shot Zellandus. "Clearly us normal folk are too blind to see how far your experience has gotten you. Reth still at large, Lord Xerthos escaped, yes I do see how your many lives has aided you there."

"You insolent-!"

"Please!" hissed Zellandus in a tone of warning. "Not here! If you're going to give into your temper then do not do it where you may wake my sister."

Link became silent and Zelda imagined he realized that he had been purposefully provoked, hence proving Zellandus' point. A hand brushed against her forehead. She remained still and motionless. She wasn't ready to confront either of them.

A sigh and the hand drew away. There was the sound of rustling clothes as Zellandus stood up. "I have duties to attend to. The old crone will have my head if I'm late. You'll watch over her for me?"

"Yes," replied Link's smooth voice.

There was silence, then the padding of footsteps and closing of a door as Zellandus left. A second pair of steps approached her as Link eased down into the chair and scooted closer.

Zelda waited in fearful anticipation for a reaction from him. Anything. Her breath almost hitched as suddenly a warm hand caressed her face, fingers trailing along her cheek before cupping it, thumb drawing circles on it.

"How I wish you would wake, Zelda," said Link, his voice one of moroseness. "You don't know how much I wish right now that you would send me on one of those crazy quests. I miss how it used to be. You were my guide, and I…I don't want to face this demon alone."

Her heart tore. Here he was still trapped by fate. Ganondorf had become predictable, but this evil was new. How was he to know how to defeat it? What lengths did he have to go through this time to save Hyrule?

Hours he stayed at her side. Neither of them stirring as the day fell into darkness and then finally he was ordered away by one of the healers, claiming to need to check her bandages and administer more potions.

He placed a kiss to her brow. She could hear his reluctant footfalls as he left. And then the healer was at her side.

Dazedly she opened her eyes, momentarily startling the woman.

"Oh, you're awake!" she said, eyes shocked. "Sir Link was just here to see you. I shall fetch him back right away."

"No, don't," she said hastily, voice raw and raspy, causing the woman to pause. "I-I'm too tired to receive visitors…"

The healer nodded sagely. "I see." She then got right down to business, unwrapping bandages, washing out her wounds and checking to make sure there was no infection. Zelda downed the bottle of potion she had been given and then stopped the healer as she readied to rewrap her in bandages.

"Please…I wish to bathe."

The healer – Laura was her name – nodded. "Of course. I'll be right back after I get someone to help carry you to the bath."

"No," shot Zelda, wincing at the bite in her throat. "Help me up? I want to walk."

Laura hesitated, obviously uncomfortable with the demand. "My Lady, it would really be better if you didn't. You're weak, you're still healing."

But Zelda didn't listen to her. Gingerly, she used her elbows to push herself up, and Laura hastened to help her before she could injure herself more.

"Stubborn Lady," Laura murmured as she gently eased Zelda to a sitting position. "I don't know why the Prince has taken such a personal interest in you. He was so distraught when he brought you in. A fop on the outside he is, but on the inside he is indeed a kind soul."

Zelda couldn't help but smile. "That he is." Rallying her courage, she place her feet on the floor and leaning her forearms on Laura's shoulders, using them as a brace, she shakily stood up.

"Steady now," cautioned Laura. "Your leg had been broken in two places and even though it's been mended it may still be sore."

She grit her teeth, her eyes tearing at how little strength she had. "I'm-I'm fine."

Laura cast her a look that conveyed her disbelief, but said nothing. One step at a time they slowly made it across the room and to the bath. Laura had it filled in an instant, adjusting the taps so that the water was at the right temperature. She helped Zelda disrobe and then braced her as she climbed into the tub.

Zelda sighed as she was engulfed by steamy warmness.

"Make certain you keep your hands out of the water," said Laura sternly. "The hands are a more precarious thing to heal, and yours have been considerably damaged."

Zelda nodded, hanging her hands over the sides of the tub. She did not yet have the courage to look at them. "May I be left alone?" she asked quietly.

Laura's face became hard as she pursed her lips. "My Lady, the Prince would have me hanged if anything should happen to you in my absence."

"Please," she whispered, the sound so painful that even Laura detected the hurt behind it.

Swishing around, the healer gathered up Zelda's nightdress and said curtly, "I shall be back shortly. Call if there's anything you need."

Zelda nodded and managed to restrain her tears until Laura had gone from the room and left the suite. Then she broke down into sobs. Silent though they were she could feel them burst through her body as if every single bit of her was crying out in sorrow.

Thanks to her triforce her episodic memories of what had occurred in the temple had been repressed. She still knew what had happened, but she could not remember it as vividly as before. It was the only way she could handle it without her mind completely shattering.

But that wasn't the reason for her tears.

Even now she still feared him. It had become an ingrained reaction to avoid him at all cost. Link… she could barely stand to look at him. Shame filled her being upon realizing how pathetic she had become. She had sought to protect him in this lifetime, but then this happened… He'd been placed in danger. He wasn't supposed to become involved. Not this time.

Sniffling quietly, she allowed the warm water to soothe her.

What was she to do now?

That question plagued her as Laura returned with a new set of clothes and helped her to bathe properly, washing her hair thoroughly then using a scrub to wash her body. Afterwards she helped her put on her shift then walk back to the bed where a new set of sheets had been placed on the mattress.

Energy spent, Zelda tiredly lay down and watched Laura's face as she put salve on her hands and rewrapped them.

Not once did the healer ask her how she'd gotten her wounds as she focused meticulously on her job, once more checking the clotted wound on her head then nodding in satisfaction.

"Rest well, my Lady."

During the week that she recovered she was barely left alone. Laura and other healers would pop into her room at various times throughout the day to check on her, and behind the door she could hear the metallic clinking of armor that indicated guards were patrolling along the halls. Only a few people apparently really knew about her –although she was certain they didn't actually know _who_ she was - and that was just fine with her. The less fuss the better.

To her dismay, Link and Zellandus visited her quite frequently and each of these times she'd feign being asleep. She had spoken with Laura, but ever since that first time she hadn't said a word to anybody. Every time she told herself that she wasn't ready to speak with them. That she needed more time…

Her health was slowly returning to her and she was capable of eating solid foods now without her stomach rejecting it. Most of her days she lay in bed, bored, but come night…

When it was dark with no one around to see she would force herself to get up and walk around the room. It had been hard at first, but slowly her legs began to strengthen and she no longer swayed on her feet. She was able to make it to the balcony and back with little trouble and eventually she was able to take a turn around the room more than twenty times a night.

Abjectly she looked around the room. Her room. The one she had stayed in when the castle had been her home. Any doubts she had that Zellandus and Brula did not remember her were thrust aside. It was clear that somehow they had broken out of her spell, but for some reason the rest of Hyrule hadn't.

Her room smelled fresh and clean, the layers of dust that had once coated it were gone, it looked exactly as it used to before she had absconded.

Did they know that it was her who had cast the spell? Goddesses, what must they think of her? What did Zellandus think of her? It had been selfish what she had done, but necessary. She did not regret it.

She froze at a clamor from the other side of her door. Swiftly, she rushed back to bed and pretended to be asleep.

"Aha! So this is where you've been hiding all this time!"

Zelda tensed at the higher pitched voice of a woman. There was the thud of heavy footsteps quickly followed by a pair of lighter ones.

"Link, who is she?"

Unbidden her face formed into a frown. Link? What was he doing outside her door at this time of night?

A deep sigh and then, "Amy, you're not supposed to know about her."

Zelda could literally hear the pout in Amy's voice. "I specialize in espionage, it wasn't easy, but seeing how you've been evading us for the past few weeks I got curious."

"This is the royal wing," said Link. "You're not supposed to be here."

"Of pish posh," Amy replied. "If I wasn't allowed to be here then the guards would have thrown me out at first sight."

"You snuck past them, of course they won't have seen you," said Link with irritation.

"Well then the castle needs better guards," interrupted Amy. "And you're avoiding the question. Who is she?"

Her ears twitched as Link cursed and growled lowly. "Come with me."

Zelda strained her ears as she listened to their footsteps fading away. Her heart beat irrationally fast, her chest tightening with unfounded hurt. Wasn't this what she wanted? For Link to have a normal life, to be unbound by her? Of course he could choose his own path, choose another woman, she did not have a right to interfere. It was just…it was just like with Mell…

Her heart constricted at that thought. It hurt. She just wanted to get away from him. Even though his affections had not been long lasting, hers were. She still loved him and because of that it was agony to be so near to him. It was one-sided, as it had always been for all these years…

She buried her head into her pillow, tears staining the fabric.

* * *

><p>Today was turning out to be the biggest waste of a day in all of his life, in Link's opinion. From the moment he had got up that morning and the healer had rejected his request to see Zelda, he'd been one large mass of misery, and he had no qualms with spreading that misery to any other poor unfortunate soul to get in his path. The castle was still teeming with nobles of all stations, most having remained, eager to see who would be chosen as Hyrule's next ruler. There were plenty of victims for him to torment.<p>

Following had been the meetings. Zellandus had to make an appearance so that the foreign dignitaries did not become suspicious of his absence, and arrangements had to be made to support all these people.

Brula, he found, he despised and loved in turn. She had taken over many of the responsibilities during Zellandus' short departure – for which he had been scolded for. She had overseen the transport of the dead Zora's body back to Zoras Domain, making certain that it was kept as a discreet affair. She had personally chosen all the healers attending to Zelda and committed them to silence, then instigated an increase of guards in the area around the royal wing.

Link scoffed. The little good it did, what with Amy able to sneak around their defences. He'd have to press her for how she managed it.

Currently, Link and Zellandus were attending their second council meeting since their return – the first had been meant to both shame and to further scold Zellandus. This one comprised of discussing their settling of negotiations between Labrynna and its difficult ambassador, and yet more scolding for the impulsive Prince. Although Link had to admit, Zellandus had been all head during their little trip. Did his court even know of the kingly qualities he kept hidden within?

Link tried to zone out as the thinly Lord Kincaid rambled on about their missing ministers. Link found himself gritting his teeth, his eyes burning as they glared sidelong out the window.

"Lord Foulkes has been well known to run off whenever the fancy strikes him, but for Lord DeSange as well?" said Lord Kincaid, appalled. "Reth has always been diligent with his duties, always timely and prompt to meetings, an admirable servant to the state. Many would do well to learn from him."

Zellandus scoffed from his place at the head of the room, hands intertwined and leaning on his elbows on the table in front of him. "Oh yes," he said mockingly. "The supreme role model for any bloodthirsty monster in the making."

Lord Kincaid blinked. "I beg your pardon." Many of the other ministers looked at Zellandus in shock. He was known to be callous and crass, but this?

The Prince fixed his eyes on the polished surface of the table and narrowed them. "Ladies, gentlemen, from henceforth Lord Reth DeSange is to be known as a threat to the state. Commander Shira is in the process of instigating an investigation and search for him, and none of you are to get in the way. If any of you do have information about his whereabouts you are to inform the Commander. Reth is to be apprehended on sight, but I do advise those not in the habit of practicing magic to stay away from him."

Many mouths dropped open with shock and Link smirked at the sight.

Lady Delmont leaned forward in her seat. "But how do you know this? What proof do you have?"

Zellandus frowned and clenched his hands together. "He has personally made an attempt at my life. Not only that but he has sworn to kill me."

The ministers all gasped in shock, but some still held a tint of disbelief in their eyes, but they wouldn't openly say anything against Zellandus. The regent had spoken, and why would he have any reason to lie to them.

"But-but surely there must be some mistake," stammered Kincaid.

Zellandus snarled, shoving down shirt and baring his shoulder. "You call this a mistake?" They all gazed at the area where a good chunk of flesh had been lost from where one of Reth's shards had skimmed it. The wound had been magically healed over but still remained a raw pink.

Lord Ivain looked dourly at them all. "It is Reth's work alright. But how could he do such a thing. What is his motivation? And where is Dasril in all of this?"

Angrily jerking his clothes back in place, Zellandus fixed his collar and observed them solemnly. "The fact of the matter is this," he said. "Reth has betrayed Hyrule, and Dasril has gone missing. Part of the Commander's investigation is to locate his whereabouts. She has a lot on her plate right now and that is why she is not with us for this meeting. For right now we need to keep our guests calm, we don't want to start a massive panic with all of this. We also need to find someone who can replace Reth. This meeting is adjourned."

Link watched as the ministers silently got up and started out the room, deep in contemplation. His eyes turned to the weighty Lord Perrington as he waddled out as fast as his legs could carry him, sweat breaking out on the back of his neck.

He frowned. He had inquired about the man and conducted his own investigation concerning the villagers of Kakariko, but so far hadn't upturned anything of value. The man was a slippery one. He'd have to be watchful of him.

Soon the room was emptied of all but him and Zellandus. Brula had been needed elsewhere.

Viciously he rounded on the Prince, lips thinned and eyes glaring. "Why did you not tell them the truth about Dasril?"

Zellandus sighed and looked up at him, face tired and wan. "Link-"

"Why didn't you tell them about Dasril's betrayal?" shot Link, taking a step forward. "That we have him in custody and that he is awaiting a trial. That he's a threat as well. Imagine if he were to escape, they'd still trust him!"

"Remember to tone your temper Link," warned Zellandus lowly, eyes set as he stared hard at him. "You've become remarkably unstable since our return from the temple."

Link tensed and fidgeted with the ring on his finger, Adra's gift to him. Without it his injuries would have been vastly more extensive than they had been.

Standing, the Prince leveled him with a sturdy glare. "In truth, I do not have anything yet planned for Dasril," he said after a pause. "I'm merely keeping my options open, just in case. But I assure you, the first signs of malignant intent on his part and I'll tell them." He huffed and crossed his arms. "I'm not fully convinced of this claim of reform. If he'd been devoted to Zelda then why had he turned her in in the first place? Nevertheless, our best option is not to do anything with the man yet."

_**Why not let us have a go at him, your highness,**_ said Carus, her voice one of hopeful relish. _**We'd have him spilling all his secrets within the hour and then we can finish him off and be done with him.**_

Now this was something that appealed to Link. As long as he got to watch the proceedings he was all for it.

Zellandus, however shook his head. "No. I will not kill him, nor will I order his death. And he shall not be tortured." He clenched his teeth together, grinding them. "No matter how much I want that dirty bastard to pay… I demand that he be left untouched and unharmed."

A flood of anger went through Link. "How can you say that?" he snarled. "After all he's done, you'll see that he goes unpunished? Do you not care what he did to Zelda?"

"It's because I care," Zellandus hissed back, "that I make my decision. Zelda will have the choice. Dasril is hers to deal with when she is well, she will be the one to choose whatever punishment she believes suited for him."

Link fell silent at that, understanding. Zellandus was right. It was Zelda who had been wronged and so it would only be fitting that she administer the punishment. He only hoped that her sense of justice was as strong in this lifetime as it was in their last.

_**And if she gives that responsibility to you, your highness? If she would have nothing more to do with Dasril? **_asked Laval.

Zellandus thought deeply. "Zelda would want us to consider the welfare of Hyrule first and foremost. We have all the time in the world to decide what to do with Dasril, but if we execute him then there is no changing that. Any and all information that he has will be lost."

Link looked away, angrily. A hand clasped his shoulder as Zellandus said, "Trust me, there's nothing that would give me greater satisfaction than to see Dasril tortured, maimed and killed. But for now that is not an option. He is our ace against this new opponent."

He didn't like it, but he'd abide by it for now. Dasril would live, but he'd see to it that it wouldn't be for much longer.

* * *

><p>Zelda lay in her bed in silent contemplation, taking comfort from the darkness. Eyes closed, she mentally prodded the shadows.<p>

"You're there, aren't you?" she asked, opening her eyes. She was on her back, her hands folded neatly over her stomach. She listened to the silence, drawing on her courage as she finally faced this.

_**Yes…**_

Swallowing thickly, she went on. "And the others?"

_**Where they are most needed. **_

She nodded. "I see." At length she said, "Tell Carus that I am proud of her. Zellandus is in good hands. And tell the others that I missed them."

_**They'd be more pleased were you to tell them yourself. None of us are mad at you.**_

She gave a small laugh. "I wouldn't think so. Your devotion to the royal family see's to it that you hold no resentment toward us."

_**I beg to differ. There have been those of royalty, direct descendants even, who we have despised. You we understand.**_

"Then you understand what I must do," said Zelda solemnly.

_**It is but a choice. There is no 'must'.**_

"It is what I think is best then," she inserted. "Do you understand?"

_**I do, although you may want to consider other alternatives…**_

"As you have said, I have made my choice," said Zelda, quietly. "Are you with me?"

_**So long as I am not left behind this time.**_

Zelda smiled at the darkness. "You won't be."

_**Then always, my Princess.**_

The woman's voice echoed around the room.

Eyes closed in relief, Zelda's head rolled to the side as she sunk into her pillows. "Thank you…Impa."

* * *

><p>Zellandus had never liked this part of the castle. It was gloomy and filthy and unfit to live in, but he supposed it had come with the place. He wasn't about to put in a fortune to have it renovated or something or another, although he had considered making it into guest chambers for his least favorite people. Give them the hospitality they deserved.<p>

For now though he'd have to settle with vagabonds and cutthroats, half of whom were destined for the gallows.

Zellandus was seated on a plain wooden chair he'd had brought down for the interrogation, flanked on either side by a pair of guards with Commander Deb looming in the background, there purely for intimidation. He sipped a cup of tea as he regarded the loathsome minister.

Dasril stared at him morosely from behind his bars. "So your bodyguard has been caught. I wager he's not happy about that."

"You can be certain that Link won't be coming down here again," said Zellandus, sitting back in his chair and crossing his legs as he made himself comfortable.

"Pity," said Dasril, dryly. "He brought fine wine."

"I'd have never pegged you for a drunkard."

Dasril scoffed. "That is because I'm not. I simply enjoy good drink." He paused. "Have you done as I requested?"

The Prince nodded. "Yes. I sent an envoy out to deal with your staff. None of them have been harmed. They've been removed from the manor and are currently under employ here in the castle. None of them know you are down here, so don't even think of using them to get out."

The minister shook his head, dirty locks swaying. "I wouldn't want them to get involved. They are not responsible for the faults of their master."

"Foulkes manor has been barred off, no one is allowed to enter," continued Zellandus, eyes tracking every single one of Dasril's movements. "Your assets have been seized and until we can find a legitimate heir to House Foulkes, they are the property of the state.

Dasril nodded. "Good."

Gazing at the man who had condemned his sister to great suffering, Zellandus wanted nothing more than to do as Carus suggested and have him torn limb from limb. He'd even allow Link the pleasure of helping. But as he had said before, that would get them nowhere.

He'd have to satisfy himself with this exchange of favors. "What did you want from this Lord Xerthos, felon? What did he promise you in exchange for your loyalty."

Dasril gave a mocking laugh and bowed his head. "Power, immortality, the inability to ever die."

"Ah," said Zellandus. "How typical." Dasril gave him a seething glare but Zellandus continued on. "You know, from my readings of history, legends, and from my general knowledge of the characteristics of evil Lords, it is quite rare for them to actually share their power, with anyone, really. Generals and close henchmen seem to always be the first one's offed when no longer needed. Usually in a most gruesome manner. Eyes plucked, flesh torn from bones, burned at the stake, pushed off cliffs. You say there are four of you? I predict that before this is all over at least one person will be shoved off a cliff. I imagine that would appeal to your evil Lord."

He held out his cup and one of the guards brought the kettle over and filled him up before going back to holding it over a blazing torch.

Zellandus scrunched his brow and took a sip. "How the devil did you expect him to transfer that power over to you anyways?" he asked. "Some sort of absorption method? Unless you'd want to go through the same ordeal that Xerthos did, there is only one other technique that can be used that is generally preferred. It consists of copulation, much more pleasurable, I assure you-"

"Will you. Cease. Mocking. Me!" hissed Dasril, eyes hard and glaring.

The Prince shrugged and attended to his tea. "Just stating the facts. You yourself are learned in magic, I'm sure you understand-"

He groaned and slumped against the wall, mumbling something about needing wine for this. "Just ask your questions and be done with it."

Zellandus sat up, eyes narrowed as they pierced Dasril with their deadly gaze. "Have you considered the consequences?" he said seriously. "What if receiving this power changed you, tore your mind apart, or turned you into some sort of monster?"

All was silent but for the crackling of the torches and the slight shifting of his guards. Commander Deb was being resolutely quiet behind him, taking her task of watching over him seriously.

"Is this what you've come to do," asked Dasril, after a time. "Chastise me? Rub in that I was wrong and acting with foolish interests."

Zellandus leaned forward, careful not to spill his tea. "No, I'm just honestly curious. What could you have possibly gained that was more important than the life of my sister? What was it that was so worth a Hylian sacrifice? I'm interested in your motivation, you see."

Dasril had nothing to say to him there. The Prince straightened, a scornful smile at his face. "Nothing, am I right?" He sighed and motioned for the guard to pour him more tea. "Am I to guess that I was initial subject of interest?"

Dasril looked away, flicking a stray bit of dirt from his mattress. "You were."

"Wisdom is inherited," said Zellandus. "You thought that I would possess it, but what you didn't know was that it is only passed down through the blood of the Harkinian women, the one's reborn as the Princess of Destiny. And all this time Zelda was conveniently in your grasp…and you took advantage of that."

The minister cringed and fisted his hands.

"I assume that Xerthos does not know about Hyrule's greatest power?" prodded Zellandus, uncertainly.

"He does not…he's only ever known to look for the demon's artifact," replied Dasril. "The triforce pieces he's always thought of as minor magical enhancements."

"It's a good thing," said Zellandus gravely, "that not even many of our own know about the triforce and all it is capable of doing. I didn't even know that there was another great power hidden away here in Hyrule."

Dasril looked at him, surprised, and then muttered, "Of course. I don't think Zelda knew of it either. Such a well kept secret it was."

Zellandus handed the guard his cup and stood, fixing his tunic. "That's all for today. I won't be visiting you for some time, duty calls, but you may expect Brula on the morrow."

He thought he saw Dasril give a shudder as he exited the cell, followed by Commander Deb. He stopped and spoke lowly. "Zelda woke up a few days ago. She hasn't once mentioned you."

With that one last vicious stab at Dasril, Zellandus walked out. He didn't bother to add that Zelda had not been speaking at all.

* * *

><p>"Will you be there for me, Impa? Will you be my shadow once more?"<p>

_**Yes.**_

Silently Zelda sprung up from the bed. Folding the blankets over, she crossed the room to the wardrobe. Most everything of hers had been replaced back to how it had been, but upon prior investigation she'd accounted for only dresses. It would have been suspicious asking one of the healers to bring her trousers and tunics, so she had to make do. She pulled out one of the least complicated ones – a dark blue -and tied it up with stiff fingers.

She had no weapons to equip herself with, but that would all change later. She strode to a corner of the room where was a low window seat. Before it was an emblem on the floor, a triforce mark. She stood on the mark and sent a spark of magic through it.

In ages past her ancestors had arranged a means of escape via a catacomb of hidden passageways that coursed throughout the castle. They could only be accessed by the light magic of the royal family or one who knew the royal lullaby.

As soon as her magic touched the mark the floor disappeared and Zelda was falling into a dark abyss. Her passage slowed as she reached its end before floating gently onto a short platform. She stepped off and a bright spotlight shone on the platform, a means to allow her to return upward should she want.

She hurried down the passages, heart pounding and exuberant at the strength she had regained. She was no longer as hindered by her injuries, she no longer ran out of energy with only a few steps.

She knew exactly where she was going. Travelling upward, she stopped at a certain level and peaked out into the corridor. Seeing no one, she stepped through the magical gap in the stone and then swiftly walked down to the room at the end of the hall, her bare feet becoming cold against the stone.

The door was locked but clicked open at her touch, the magical barrier recognizing her signature, and she slipped inside Dasril's room.

It was not often that her excursions to Castle Town led her to the castle, but once or twice she had met with Dasril in his rooms to bring him something or to let him know that she was alright.

She took in the various items on his bureau, eyes drawn at once to a small sphere on a metal holder. She snatched it up and left. Racing back to the gap, she subtly touched the triforce mark on the wall with her magic and pushed back through the stone into the passages.

Her breath was coming in quick gasps now. This was more activity than her body would allow her, but she pressed on, knowing she had little time before someone checked on her and found an empty bed. A set of stairs took her spiraling downward. She took comfort in Impa's shadow, clinging to hers.

She would not let Link get involved again. She would not ruin his life this time.

When she left the passages she was faced with a wall of stone and a cold metal door, uninviting and malignant. Impa muttered her confirmation, that this was where he was being kept. Steeling herself, and clutching the sphere tightly in her hand, she nudged her magic back to life and melted the lock. The door creaked as it opened and she stepped through into darkness.

She heard a rustle and then a curse as a body shot up. Both, however, were blinded in the darkness with not even a hint of light with which to detect each other.

Zelda felt her heart flutter. Her triforce piece may have sealed the memories far down inside her, but she still knew what had happened. She still knew Dasril's part in it and what he had done. Despite this, however, she needed him. She not only needed him for the information he possessed, but she still depended on him… She couldn't be alone anymore. All was not right with her, physically and mentally, someone had to watch over her, she needed someone she could rely on to travel with her.

"Blast who is it this time?" shot Dasril, voice raspy from sleep. "It's the middle of the night, come and bother me with your questions at a decent hour. Whatever it is it can wait."

Her breath caught in her throat, before she took a steady inhale. "I'm afraid it cannot."

Upon hearing her, Dasril shot up to his feet, clambering over to the bars. "Zelda?"

She formed a small spark of light in her hand and both winced at its brightness. From this close up she could see the dark circles beneath his eyes and the overall deadened look to him. He gazed at her long and yearning.

For a second, she seriously considered leaving him there to rot.

"You said back in the temple," she started, voice wavering, "That you serve me and only me."

He inhaled, eyes tightening. "You heard that?"

"I did," she responded quietly. "Would you do anything for me?"

"I would," he said this immediately and with conviction.

"Then prove it," she spoke silently. "Aid me."

She held out her hand, still wrapped tightly in bandages and Dasril winced, reminded of the consequences of his folly, but reached out anyways and touched her hand with hers, careful not to hurt her.

"I will."

Zelda then whispered harshly. "But, one step out of line, if you make one move that even suggests that you are lying then I will execute you myself." He held her gaze sturdily. "There will be nothing that you do that my eyes won't see."

All of a sudden the darkness seemed to swell and her eyes gleamed red with the glow of the Sheikah. He noticed the dark extra shadow that seemed to cling to her and nodded. Fear shone in his eyes, but he was more than willing to do as she wished. Willing to repent.

She held out her other hand and silently bade him to grasp it. Magically, she held Impa to her as Dasril activated the stone. In the space of a second both Hylians and the Sheikah were gone, back to Foulkes manor.

* * *

><p>The halls of the castle were frantic, and even though they'd tried to tone it down, everyone from the highborn down to the stable boys could tell that something was wrong. Soldiers had been sent out to scour the grounds, searching for what, nobody knew. When asked they kept quiet about it, as ordered, their jobs were on the line as it was, but rumor had somehow spread that they were looking for a woman.<p>

Many had gone to see the Prince about this unseemly mass of chaos, but he had holed himself up in his study, and would see no one but the Commander, his bodyguard and the Lady Brula. Somehow though, a lone Zora had gotten through.

Byron plowed through the crowd of bodies blocking the study, all demanding Zellandus for answers, and was suddenly grabbed and yanked into the room before the door was hurriedly shut and locked.

Link pat the Zora once on the shoulder then turned back to Zellandus who had taken to pacing in front of the window, issuing out orders to a pair of captains, delegating tasks and overseeing that they were followed through.

Link had combed the castle and grounds earlier for Zelda with no luck before Zellandus had demanded they converge here and add extra brainpower to their plotting.

Stewing beside him, Commander Deb gave a frustrated growl. "It just doesn't make sense! The healers had reported that she was as weak as a lamb. How could she have gone off on her own?" She looked toward the ground. "Are you positive it wasn't kidnap?"

Laval's voice rose up. _**Impa is her guardian Sheikah. We would have received a call of distress if she were in any danger. She must have left on her own, and Impa has gone as well.**_

"But to where?" shot Zellandus as the Captains saluted and went to carry out their duties. "Where would she have gone? She had no reason to leave."

Byron stammered as he took a seat. "She might have simply gone out for some fresh air. She may still be somewhere in the castle."

"But that doesn't account for why we cannot locate her," said Zellandus.

_**And Impa would have contacted us by now, informing us of her whereabouts**_, inserted Carus. _**No, she is definitely away from the castle. I doubt she will be in the town either. **_

At this Zellandus grasped fistfuls of his hair, his pacing renewed. "Of all the-" He inhaled sharply. "What could she be thinking? She's not yet well! I haven't even had a chance to speak with her. I-"

Link turned his head away trying not to let his despair well up and eat him. He wanted nothing more than to be out there searching for her, but without any leads it would be pointless. He'd simply be looking around in places he'd already checked.

Also, there was a reason she would run off… All evidence pointed to the fact that she didn't want to talk to them. It was clear that she didn't think she was supposed to be here. That's why she was gone. To avoid them. She was staying away. But why?

There was an upsurge of the volume of voices calling from outside the door, interfering nobles, all vying for gossip. Suddenly a hard knock sounded and Commander Deb warily looked through the peek hole. Quickly she unlocked the door, grabbed the person outside, and dragged him in, closing the door and locking it firmly behind him.

The guard gasped as he caught his breath, bending over and leaning on his knees. Deb hovered over him then grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him up.

"Quick man, what is it?" she ordered. "Spit it out!"

The guard visibly gulped, recovering that much faster. "The dungeons – someone's broken out!"

A cold shiver ran down Link's spine as he already made his guess. He looked to Zellandus and saw that his mouth had thinned perceptibly, fists shaking at his side.

"Well then, who is it?" shot Deb.

The guard answered post haste. "It was the one in the far cell. Lord Foulkes. I swear we were at our posts all night and not a one of us nodded off. We didn't see anyone coming down or going up. And then everyone was ordered on the search and we forgot to bring him his breakfast. When we went just now the doorknob had been melted and the man was gone. The bars are still intact, unless he was turned into a cat I don't see how he could have gotten out."

Deb shoved the man down in a chair then set about to pondering. The connection between the two events was too strong. Link could practically see everyone's minds whirring as they thought about it.

"So Dasril broke out and he took her," spat Deb, seething. "That bastard. How he shall pay dearly!"

"No!" said Brula, sharply, drawing their attention. "I'm afraid it's just the opposite. Dasril did not escape; he was set free. Zelda released him from his cell and now both of them have gone from the premises."

"For what?" asked Deb as she deemed the guard recovered enough and shoved him out the door, snapping it quickly closed. "What is her goal? What is her purpose for doing this?"

"The same as before," said Zellandus, exchanging a look with Link. Both had come to the same conclusion. It was all starting to make sense.

"Zelda's trying to take fate into her own hands again," shot Link, his anger making him spiteful. "But this time instead of going after Ganondorf, she knows her target is Xerthos!"

That foolish _foolish_ woman! What right did she have to do this to them! They had agonized and worried over her, and she'd run off with barely any consideration for them. Putting herself in danger once more just after she had survived it.

What was that girl thinking?

It was maddening. It was frustrating! After all this time, she was finally within his grasp and now he'd lost her again.

"At least now we have a starter point," he said lowly, arousing everyone's curiosity. He eyed them all seriously then turned to face the window, looking over the town. "Foulkes manor."

They were incited at that and the room filled with noise. Link tuned all of it out as he mentally went through everything he'd be needing. Two things first and foremost, he needed to purchase his own horse, and…it was time to finally retrieve the master sword. It was time to face this evil and take it down. It was time to grasp destiny by the reigns and ride its path.

He would find Zelda and make her see. Until they reached some form of closure he would forever be pining for her.

She wanted to play this game of chase, then fine, he'd gladly play.

The hunt was on!

**End Part 1**

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><p><strong>AN: I'm honestly scared right now. Please don't hate me! I have something better in mind for their reunion, something more...how should I put it? Exciting? Saucy? Something like that. Although I intend it to be bittersweet. Plus Zelda is going through trauma right now, she doesn't need the reunion with Link on her plate as well, that would just make it worse. She needs time to heal and then stuff can happen.**

**Guest (Nov 2): It's done! Thanks for pointing that out ^^.**

**SpartanECHO: For whenever you reach this chapter I guess. This story is not complete yet, maybe only halfway through, but as you can see, I'm still toiling away at it and I do intend to finish it...sometime...in the distant future... It's taking forever to write, lol. Thank you for the lovely review!**

**Cameron: Don't be embarrassed, seeing how you were so into it was very flattering ^^. I have to agree with you with Dasril's entrance, it does sound cheesy doesn't it? Dasril has an interesting relationship with his evil comrades. As you can see he's quite hesitant to turn against them, he didn't even tell Link that Lord Perrington was the spy he was talking about. He's just betrayed Zelda then turned around to betray his comrades, but I think he's done with hurting people. Realizing what he had done to Zelda has struck him deeply and he's anything but eager to cause pain to anyone else he considers close or semi close to him. That would be the reason for his half-hearted attack against Reth. It wasn't meant to harm, it was meant to chase him off.**

**And again, sorry for foiling your expectations with Dasril, heh heh. His punishment is going to be more of the mental sort, rather than physical. **

**I'm glad you noticed my little hints about Zellandus. He's always had kingly qualities in him (as seen first from his speech the day of the festival), but hasn't really had a chance to prove himself. His life has been all about leisure so far, but when the time calls for it he is all seriousness. Also he might not be up to par with Zelda or even Reth, but he has studied at the same academy as they have and can hold his own in a fight. One on one though, I believe that Reth would be the victor, after a long and strenuous battle. **

**I hope I'm addressing everything here. If I've forgotten something feel free to tell me.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Not much excitement here I'm afraid. It's a bit of a boring chapter. I promise the next two will be more action packed.**

**Thank you ObscurityProject, SheikahMoon, Death Waltz, Cameron, Wolf, Reader, randomishdude, Generala, Kukiel, 11lol11, Schniedragon88, Ancient . tree, xxkikwixx, Fairy Proxi, Twokeyz, Astercia, tetraforce theory, vrave1, Bloodspire, A True NaZaMi Fan, Guest (nov 19), and PrincessPeach, for you reviews!**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Part 2<strong>

**Chapter 24**

He remembered.

During the final battle with the warlord Briant, she had been there, heading their armies. Four years ago the warlord had all but desecrated the land of Termina and posed threat to Hyrule. As Princess it was expected of her take charge of the Hyrulean armies and set forth to personally terminate the man. Forced to discard her life of luxury at the castle, the pompous Princess had been thrust into the fight with little regard to her soft nature. She had abhorred it with all her being, but in the end duty presided over her personal wants.

She'd plunged into the fire…and Reth had readily plunged in alongside her.

His name, he'd been told, had originated from a great grandfather of his. In ancient Hylian it meant acumen, the ability to understand and reason. But he saw it for what it truly was. It was a derivation of two words in twain: death and wrath. In masterful combination they created Reth.

How well it suited him.

Those had been his greatest moments, engaged in slaughter, the blood of humans staining his hands and clothes as his magic whipped through the air, crackling in his maddened state. He'd torn through bodies without preamble, delighting in their pain-induced cries, wracked in torment as he varied the extent of the pain he dished out. Some he allowed for a quick death, others he just wanted to see writhe. And under the guise of battle none could see his sadistic tendencies for what they were. And he had taken full advantage of that.

Reth had glorified in war.

He had been in the sorcerer's division and so was able to witness firsthand the Princess in all her illuminating glory. The way she had blasted through hordes of enemies at a time, casting her magic as fluidly as he had ever seen her, and then standing among the slain, coated with the blood of the warlord as he had breathed his last.

It was his greatest memory of her.

Hair streaked with the blood of her enemies, droplets trickling down her face as if she were crying red. The static of magic had still clung to the air even after the fight was over and she had stood there as if in a trance, all emotions erased from her face, but for that moment he had imagined that she'd been gazing down at the warlord's dead face with smug satisfaction.

_A kindred spirit at last_, he'd thought.

At that battle she had partook in her first kill and must have acquired a taste for it! She'd been young and impressionable, just like he'd been when he had murdered his first victim. She would go on to do what her predecessors had not. She'd expand and conquer, as her ancestors should have done long ago. Hyrule was the golden lands of the Goddesses; why should it not spread its greatness to exert its dominion over the other lands and be made into an empire!

But it hadn't been.

When they had returned to court, victorious and praised for their stunning heroics, she'd gone back to as she had been. Flighty, pretentious, and positively effervescent. Not once had she reminisced on those glorious few weeks of bloodshed. Even when he had subtly prompted her she had strictly avoided the topic and he'd been careful ever since not to bring it up. He had left the subject alone from therein. If he appeared too exuberant over the affair it may rouse suspicion.

It had been disappointing.

But that red drenched sight of her forever stayed with him. That was the only memory of her worth dwelling upon. Rivaled only by his most recent memory of her screaming and trembling in pain within a prison of his creation. He reveled at the mental image of her, powerless, trapped and tortured.

Reth hummed in delight to himself, leaning his head on his palm, elbow on knee as he hung in the air in a seated position. He leaned forward a bit and winced as a spark of pain shot through his shoulder.

Grasping it, he rotated his arm, increasing the blood flow and soothing away the awful feeling. That ill-begotten bodyguard! He had done this to him, had made his shoulder like this.

It had taken weeks for it to moderately heal, and still he could feel the phantom presence of a hole right beneath his socket. He still remembered the agony as the sharp end of that metal device had been plunged into his flesh hard enough to strike and splinter bone. He reflected that in that instance if he hadn't come to his senses on time he would have died by the bodyguard's sword.

He shook his head. No, he was the hero now. That was why the Prince had taken such a quick liking to the man. His skill with the sword, impressive though it was, had nothing to do with it. He was the hero of legend, destined to wipe out the evil set to claim the land.

Idly he shifted his gaze over to Lord Xerthos, who prowled the floor below. He wouldn't call him his master - Reth was as free as the birds - but he did serve the man…for now. Once the land trembled beneath the darkness then he'd begin his fun. He'd follow Lord Xerthos only until that time.

There was a sudden indignant squeak from the corridor before the doors were flung open and in waddled the pudgy Lord Perrington. Donned in finery down to his lacy slippers, he marched right up to Lord Xerthos, broiling with rage. For his part, Lord Xerthos merely raised an eyebrow at his unseemly display of tenacity.

"I demand an explanation for this!" Alceolus shouted, fat cheeks flaring. "Of all the impertinent-! Waylaid in my chambers, I was. Ambushed and stolen from the comforts of my room and brought here with nary a word of remorse! I refuse to be treated like some parcel! That woman shall not come near me again, you hear!"

A deep sigh and a lighter set of footsteps carried into the room. Vivienne nonchalantly swept her luscious red curls over her shoulder. She caught Reth's stare, smiled and thrust her hip to the side, resting a hand on it. She tapped manicured nails against the fabric of her dress then looked to Lord Xerthos. "He's all manner of complaints these days," she said woefully. "I went and retrieved the _darling_ as soon as I could and he's spitting and fighting the entire way here."

Alceolus blustered. "Of all the impertinent-"

"Enough," shot Lord Xerthos, instantly silencing them.

As if realizing just how close he stood to the Lord, Alceolus hastily backed up and looked away, scowling.

"Now that we are all present," said Lord Xerthos, taking a seat in an upholstered chair. "Report. Vivienne, I would like to know the status of your project."

Vivienne brushed her hair over her shoulder and smiled. "Gladly. I have made great advancements to the black corps. They are stronger and faster, now able to understand almost any command you throw at them, I have also managed to keep the magic for a few who had been able to use it before the change," she explained then furrowed her brows. "However, I haven't yet found a solution to their main problem. With their minds wiped they are unable to think for themselves and so do not do well in novel situations. Without explicitly given instructions, if anything surprising or random should occur they'd be pressed to deal with it."

Lord Xerthos nodded. "That is good enough for now. The black corps are needed for killing, not thinking in abstract ways. And the armies?"

Vivienne lifted her head, a cheeky glint in her emerald eyes. "Ready as always."

From above, Reth chuckled and leaned forward on his arms, ignoring the unnatural stretching of his shoulder. "Lo, it must be a trial keeping those beasts away from your little mutt. Monsters are vicious and bloodthirsty. It would be hard for them not to tear the boy apart."

She looked up at him blandly, and shrugged, casting his words aside as if they held no value. "They wouldn't dare. After all, Reth hon, they have me to deal with."

"Ah yes," said Reth, tauntingly. "Because killing them off as you've been doing for even the smallest offenses and lowering our numbers is a good idea."

"Reth," Lord Xerthos cautioned silently. "Hold your tongue. Vivienne has contributed more to our objective than you have. After your failure in the temple you have no right to rebuke."

Reth frowned and turned his head away. That day over a month ago still grated on him. He had been tasked with taking the Prince's life and he would have, he'd have gladly flooded the room with his royal blood…but he hadn't known he'd be pitted against the hero of legend, the wielder of the Triforce of courage. On fair terms he was no match for Link, even with his magic it seemed. Somehow the hero had gotten the upper edge, he'd been filled with the power of the Goddesses, how was he expected to counter that might?

If he wanted to kill the Prince he'd have to first take care of his bodyguard, and the only way to take care of the bodyguard would be by foul means. He'd kill them both. Them and that blasted Commander Deb.

"Alceolus, do you have anything to contribute?" said Xerthos, skipping over Reth entirely.

Reth scoffed. It was not as if it was his fault there was very little for him to do. His part would come later, in the slaughter. Let the lily livers plan and scheme, when it was time for action he'd be there in the midst of it.

Alceolus shifted uncomfortably on his feet, looking this way and that before he took to staring at the ground. "Oh – um, very little to be truthful. The castle is as crowded as ever, one cannot even walk to the privy without passing at least twenty people. All fighting over who gets to be the true heir," he said snidely. "The fools. They don't yet know that-"

"Alceolus," Xerthos snapped, green eyes converting to a sinister yellow, his tone conveying his irritation. "Stick to what is relevant. Tell me about the Prince."

Alceolus stuttered then nodded, sweat beading on his face and he withdrew a laced kerchief to wipe at it. "The Prince remains idle in the castle. He's increased the security and sent troops out to locate Reth, but that's it." He gulped audibly. "He hasn't mentioned anything to his council about you yet, milord. I can only assume that Dasril hasn't told him about the ritual and who you are. He doesn't seem to…to think much of you…milord."

Lord Xerthos reclined in his chair, passing a hand over his scarred face. "That is fine. He will regret underestimating me when the time comes. What of Dasril?"

Lord Perrington growled and spat. "The traitor rots in the dungeon. I saw them sneak him in on their return from the forest temple, along with that brat Princess."

Sighing, Lord Xerthos stroked his chin. "Dasril will be dealt with in time. For right now all of you must prepare yourselves. The time to invade will soon be upon us. All there is to do is wait."

Wait? He'd been waiting for over a month now. A month as Lord Xerthos adapted to his new powers and Reth had healed. A month too long.

"The time to strike is now," said Reth firmly, gliding to the floor and hovering just a foot above it. He ignored the wave of malevolent energy that swirled around Lord Xerthos warningly. Instead he pressed on. "While all the nobles are still at the castle, while the Prince's bodyguard is away!"

He had yet to reveal that Link was in fact the hero reborn. But fair's fair. Let Xerthos find it out in the same painful way he had.

The demon Lord narrowed his eyes at Reth. Through those green irises he could see the yellow eyes of a demon flashing forth once more. Xerthos had been physically unchanged upon gaining his power, but inward there a chasm of darkness, burning and vile. It swirled with power and Reth near salivated at the thought of all the chaos that such power could invoke.

"Haste is the mind of the young these days," said Xerthos. "I am still learning to control my new gifts. Magic as you know takes time to temper."

"Magic is nothing new to you," countered Reth with ire.

Lord Xerthos glared at him. "If you give a sword master a battle axe would you expect him to know how to wield it?"

Shrugging, Reth floated a few feet back, shrinking into himself in fear. "It is of curiosity that I ask you, milord. Now that I have the reason I fully understand why we have not made a move."

He understood, but he was no happier for it. Were their numbers not great enough? Did he not have two other sorcerers at his command to lay waste to Hyrule for him? He and Vivienne were more than capable of taking on the castle with their monster hordes. Even with Lord Xerthos at half par, they'd be unstoppable. The idiot Prince would not stand a chance.

"Patience, Reth," said Lord Xerthos as he beckoned him forward. "Come here, I have another gift to bestow upon you all."

Reth clicked his teeth. The first gift Lord Xerthos had given them was clearing their minds of any tampering. However, the only sign that their minds had been altered was the memory block on anything concerning the Princess.

Cautiously, Reth floated closer and refrained from flinching as he bowed his head and Lord Xerthos placed a cold hand on his brow. His system was shocked with a flood of cold, power zapped through him, its current reaching every inch of his being.

The hand was removed and he was left with a feeling of renewal. He had…changed somehow. Something within him was different, more compact and firm. It was…

He flexed his hands, watching the tendons stretch and shrink under his skin. He shot his head up at the sound of Alceolus' cry. Xerthos had just finished with him before moving on to Vivienne, and he staggered back, clutching his head.

"What…what was that?" asked Alceolus, who was sweating profusely. He took out his kerchief and dabbed at his face, leaning his hand on the table to steady himself.

Lord Xerthos shifted his eyes towards him as Vivienne pulled back, her lips tugged in a small smile. "What I have just done," said Xerthos, "is increase your durability. Illness shall not ail you, parasites shall not infect you, if one were to attack you they'd find you not so easy to kill. I have made you nigh invincible, you shall even be able to recover from wounds that would usually be fatal."

Maliciously, Reth smiled. Now this was a gift he could value. He looked over to Vivienne who smiled as though she was as well reveling in the idea of being all but indestructible. Alceolus, however, did not look as if he appreciated it as they did.

He spluttered and whined and all but grated on Reth's eardrums. "Durability? What use is that to me? I'm not the one doing any fighting!" he blustered.

Vivienne frowned and crossed her arms beneath her ample bosom. "Ungrateful lout. Does he not realize what a prize this is, hmm?"

And what a prize it was. Already Reth could feel his shoulder beginning to mend. The soreness from before all but vanishing as the muscles healed and bones set themselves properly until finally it felt like it should. He rotated it just to be sure and smiled wickedly. Oh yes, he could well make use of this new feature.

"Vivienne, return Alceolus to the castle before he is missed," intoned Lord Xerthos lowly. He turned away and drifted off into another room. "Contact me only for matters of greatest urgency. I am gone to train."

With that he disappeared in a cloud of black smoke.

Before Alceolus could mutter a word of protest, Vivienne had grabbed his arm and zapped them away. Reth took a moment to look around the empty room before he too teleported out.

He reappeared in a field far from the townhouse they'd used as their hideaway. If the Prince had his soldiers out searching for him they were looking in the wrong Country. For the time being Lord Xerthos had retreated to the Country of Holodrum, staying in the home of one of Vivienne's contacts in the capital city of Horon.

He floated for a while in midair before steadily descending to the ground and laying on the grass. The moon shone brightly overhead and he stared at it as he considered his role in Lord Xerthos' plans.

For years he'd been patient. Abiding and steady in his support of Xerthos when he'd first joined him. Xerthos had been his idol for a time. He'd witnessed him performing his experiments and rituals, watched as he played with men's bodies, cutting them open, infusing them with vile black magic before finally allowing them a long and painful death. All of these rituals had worked to enhance his own magic.

Unfortunately Lord Xerthos had never allowed Reth to directly participate, lest he skew the results. And the magic Xerthos performed was of a different nature than what he was used to in Hyrule. It felt stale and left a sordid ashy taste in the air. As amazing as it was, it was not something that Reth would desire. It would consume him, become too clingy, and require sacrifices and tithes.

Definitely not for him. He was content with his magic as it was, although enhancing its power would not be remiss.

All at once a tone chimed in his head and he snapped up, placing his palms on the ground. He smiled.

_Well well. _

His sentry had alerted him to a certain individual approaching a certain area he had ordered to have watched. The hero was nearing the sacred grove and although Reth was unable to step foot on the holy grounds himself he'd be able to lurk outside and wait for the hero to emerge.

More excited than he'd been in a while, he soared up, righting himself as he levitated in the air.

If Lord Xerthos was not inclined to act then he'd take it upon himself to sate his desire for blood, and he knew exactly whose blood he desired to spill first.

Orange eyes flashing in anticipation, he ascended upward high among the clouds then propelled himself forward, soaring across the field, cloak flapping against the wind like the wings of a giant bird.

To kill the Prince he'd have to first kill the bodyguard…

* * *

><p>A heavy snowfall had made travelling by foot a difficult endeavor. Zelda led the way, seeing as she seemed to know exactly where she was going, while Dasril trailed close behind. They embarked up the incline against the face of a rise.<p>

Cloak whipping in the wind, he squinted his eyes in order to see through the flurry of snow. Zelda's cloak billowed out before him and he kept his eyes trained on it as he followed her upward. He sighed, his breath escaping in a cloud of mist.

It had been a few days over a week since they'd left the castle and escaped to Foulkes manor. There Zelda had gone right into fetching the items she'd require and packing food, weapons, and healing supplies. From the amount she had packed he could tell she expected them to be gone for a _very_ long time. She seemed dedicated in her task, enough that not even the threat of winter had stopped her from going forth with it. He remembered those two and a half years she'd lived with him he'd never been comfortable with her traveling during the winter, he had always feared that some sort of accident would occur.

In the northern region of Hyrule the land was covered completely with snow. Dasril breathed heavily as he continued the climb. Although he always kept himself in good shape he wasn't used to this kind of travel, usually opting for his carriage or horse. And that month of lying in his cell with little activity to be had had done nothing to help his physical fitness. He wagered Zelda was doing no better. She may have been used to walking all around Hyrule, but from what he'd gathered she'd been comatose for the majority of the time after her rescue.

Climbing the rise he once again faltered in his step. It was hard to keep going.

As much as he hated to admit it, the Sheikah helped a lot in that regard. She was always there, dodging from one shadow to the next or lingering in Zelda's. She spoke little, but her mere presence alone was enough to encourage him to keep moving. To him she represented the promise of torture. He knew that there was nothing she – among others - longed more than to be given a valid reason to rip his throat out.

He swallowed dryly at the thought. Best not to slow them down.

At last they reached level ground and Zelda stood solidly before the face of yet another cliff. His hair whipped around his face as he watched her locate a patch of snow then withdraw a knife from her waist. Using the sharpened edge, she sliced through the snow, burrowing and cutting it away. His brows raised as a good chunk of white powder tumbled down, revealing a gaping hole. Zelda set to widen it and soon it opened to a cave just large enough for a person to slip through the narrow mouth. It was evident that she'd known it was there and had probably used it as a shelter before during her travels.

He raised his eyes to see her glancing over her shoulder at him before entering. Silently he followed.

One of the rules she had established before they'd set off on her quest was that he was not to speak unless spoken to. She would have as little to do with him as possible. He hadn't dared argue, the inclination hadn't even crossed his mind. He was walking a fine line with her as it was, he was not about to risk endangering his standing with her even more.

Deeper into the cave they went. Dasril felt for the comforting hilt of his sword with one hand while using the other to light a small hovering fire over his palm. Zelda merely blinked at him before taking them to the very end. He looked around to make sure no wild animals were lingering about. It was empty but for a few keese sleeping high on the ceiling. They rustled their wings at the sight of the intruders but did not move, busy huddling close to one another, sharing in their warm.

"We rest here for the night," Zelda announced before moving to the farthest corner of the cave.

Setting her bag down, she sat on the ground and reclined tiredly against the wall. In the dim glow of the fire Dasril could vividly see the dark circles beneath her eyes. They were both exhausted it seemed. He didn't like it that she was pushing herself so hard. It wasn't good for her. She was still recovering from the ritual.

The corners of his mouth tightened as he thought about his part in her torture. Guilt welled up within him, a heavy and unpleasant feeling.

He sat opposite to her and fed the fire in his palm until it became large enough to function as a campfire. He nudged it forward and it settled in the space between them and there he let it flicker, warming the cave.

He had thanked the Goddesses more than once during their little trip that his element was fire. He was able to keep his body nicely heated while plowing through the snow, a luxury Zelda didn't have. If only she'd let him hold onto her or simply grasp her hand then he could extend his magic through her being to help warm her up.

They ate from their provisions then Zelda moved closer to the fire and knelt, eyes closing as she placed her heavily bandaged hands on her knees. She slowly breathed out. "Keep the fire steady."

He did as requested and watched as she sunk into herself. It was something she did every night as they rested. She'd induce this trancelike state and would slowly let out her power. She had explained to him that it was to invoke the memories trapped by wisdom, to relive them and come to terms with them. In this way she would overcome the torment on her mind.

Dasril glowered and sat back, leaning one arm against a bent leg. He didn't like it. Why was she forcing herself to experience her horrors all over again? Her Triforce had granted her the power to lock it all away and be left relatively unaffected. It was a power many would fight for. Why would she not want to take advantage of it?

He sighed and waited, keeping watch over her still form. She barely moved or made a sound. In this state she would not be able to hear or see anything around her, she was unconscious to all but the memory she replayed.

His eyes drifted to her face, pale and wan against the glow of the fire. She had on that look of solemnity, as if she were merely going through the book of treaties, or reciting the honorary code. The only evidence that gave away her mental torment was the occasional twitch or whimper. At one point she bit her bottom lip and another she fisted hands.

Dasril oversaw her meditation conservatively. This was what he was for. He was to make sure she didn't sink too deeply into her memories that she became trapped. In her life of solitude he was the only one she had. He'd been the only one who had known about her true heritage for over two years, who she had been able to go to in when she became stressed or anxious. Their relationship had become a precarious one, but it comforted him to know that to some level she still needed him.

She shivered and then suddenly fell forward. She braced herself on her hands, taking deep calming breaths as her form was wracked with shudders.

Dasril ached to go to her, but the distended shadow at her side gave clear warning that his assistance would be neither required nor appreciated. Instead he was forced to reside in the background, worry seeping through him. Zelda always appeared depressed after dwelling into the recesses of her mind but soon it would morph into a small contentment, as if she was more at peace with herself. It didn't stop him from fretting about her, wondering if it had been too much.

At length she exhaled heavily and pushed up. She shifted, sitting back on her heels, and swiped a few stray tendrils of hair behind her ear. Staring into the fire, ice blue eyes flickering with the reflection, she became as a statue, unmoving and stoic, but he could see the toll this was taking on her. She was moving too quickly, not giving herself time to properly recover from these instances.

He frowned as he looked over her, taking in her ashen pallid form. His frown deepened. "Why must you do that?" he said sharply, piercing the silence. "It's obvious it pains you."

As he said this the shadow hovering around the cave swelled, filling it with a dark ambiance. He scowled, keeping his gaze fixed on Zelda. Impa remained a constant presence and had no qualms about reminding him that she was near. How he loathed that Sheikah.

Zelda slowly raised her eyes and they flashed in the darkness, duo pinpricks of spite. "Enough, Impa."

All at once the shadows receded and the fire glowed brightly again. Zelda turned away.

_And that is the end of that_, he thought frustrated.

But then she surprised him by speaking softly, "I told you, it is so that I can come to terms with all that has happened. Wisdom has sealed my more horrific memories away. However, unless I go through them all and accept them, if I am to befall any more horrors my Triforce will be hard pressed to conceal them and my mind will become even more fragile."

It was clear to him that the Triforce had taken more than simply her memories from the ritual. What other trials had she gone through in her past reincarnations? What other perils had she faced that Wisdom had locked away? That she would seek to relive them all… Most of all, what part did Link have to play in it? She moaned his name often in her sleep and usually it was with a voice of despair. It was becoming more evident to him that something had happened between them, something that caused her pain beyond belief. Was it possible to love and fear someone with equal passion? If so, that is how he would interpret Zelda's feelings towards him. There were nights when she uttered his name with such longing and passion it caused his heart to tear, and others where her voice was inlaid with such fear that he could almost associate Link with a monster.

It gave him a sense of unease. She had lived through so much. It reminded him that compared to him her soul was an old one, possibly dating back to the very creation of Hyrule itself. As Link had said, she had experienced many dark times. But the Goddesses had not left her unprotected. She had the Triforce.

"Surely wisdom can keep them all at bay," he scoffed lightly. So many hours of travel with little talk, it felt like ages since he'd last spoken to her. She hadn't even deigned to listen to his apologies at the start. She would hear none of it.

She shook her head in resolution. "I will not become a prisoner to the Triforce, a prisoner to my own mind," she said then expanded. "Should the Triforce ever be taken from me – and it has happened, Dasril – at this point my mind shall shatter. I will not condone such a thing. If I am to live with myself I cannot be weak."

Dasril scowled. She was missing the point. There was no need of her to take such drastic measures. "You have no fear of that," he insisted. "Lord Xerthos does not know the significance of the Triforce."

"And if he prevails then it will not be long before he does learn of it," she answered quietly, drawing her cloak closer. "It is an uncommon, but not a hidden knowledge. There are tales that still linger about, and if he should take interest in those tales it would not be difficult for him to delve further."

He became silent. With the power of a demon Lord Xerthos already proved to be someone impossible to contend with. If he ever gained the Triforce as well then all hope to avert this crisis would be lost. It struck him to the core that he had had a hand in this, that it was his fault events were unfolding as they were. He could have kept her safe and hidden, they could have gone on as they had been for years; he could have continued blinding Xerthos from the truth of her identity, he need have never known of her...

If only he hadn't allowed his jealousy to consume him. He should have known better, that Zelda would not risk revealing herself to anyone. But there had always been that inkling of a fear that someday she would leave him. Return to castle life and remake the acquaintance of Link, who he had rightly assumed she had been familiar with. He hadn't wanted things to change… And now she loathed him, and he could not blame her for it. She had every right to despise him, but that didn't stop him from loving her, from wishing her well. He'd serve her until death. Somehow he'd redeem himself because having her love was the only thing that mattered. He no longer cared if she ended up choosing another, if she ended up choosing Link. His chance was forfeit.

He continued staring at her as she moved to lie down on her side.

"Enough of this, I tire," she spoke quietly, almost arduously, as if the mere procurement of speech was a chore.

Dasril grit his teeth but dared not say more. If he'd thought her secretive before, then it did not compare to how reticent she was now. He may be aware of her goals and intentions, but her thoughts, her personal worries, every little thing that bothered her, she kept inside. There was no divulgence. She no longer sought comfort in his arms. She had become a literal brick.

Such detachment… she was imprisoning herself. That could not be good for her.

He stayed up for a while after she'd fallen asleep, keeping silent watch and making certain that the fire did not sputter out, although he could have easily sustained it while unconscious. He sighed and brushed his fingers through ragged hair. He had taken a quick and cold bath when they'd gone to the manor, but that was it. Zelda had not allowed them to linger there any longer than necessary and he hadn't been granted time to wash since then. His hair was greasy and matted in clumps, and he could do with a new wardrobe. He must look a right mess.

He sighed. He really should not be worrying about his vanity at a time like this.

He tensed as Zelda groaned in her sleep, hands wrangling her cloak.

Anguish flushed through him. Even now she was still being tortured, and he could do nothing to help her. He was incapable of doing anything but watch over her from afar.

* * *

><p>Link stood before the hollow bundled in a scarf and cloak. He peered out from beneath his hood and let out a slow breath. It misted in the air, breezing against the dusting of powder that fell from the sky. In mid winter the forest was decorated with clumps of snow, not quite covering the entire expanse of the forest floor.<p>

He strode forward, boots crunching on the frosted ground. At once music pierced his ears, a sad tune but with lively origins. He recalled once hearing it played to dance and merriment. It had become sallow over time, more severe and sacred.

Briskly he walked through the hollow, pulling down his hood. He at once recognized the location for what it was.

The lost woods…

The day that Zelda disappeared two groups had been organized. The first was to venture forth with haste to Foulkes manor and acquire clues as to the whereabouts of Zelda and to follow whatever tracks they found. Link knew that by the time they reached the manor she'd have long gone. His was the second group, its members consisting of one – although Zellandus had volunteered to journey with him, however having already spent a decent amount of time away from the castle the nobles would find his absence suspicious, and in addition Brula had forbid it. Link's task led him to Faron province and to its woods. He was to find the master sword and claim it as his own once more. In the end he would meet up with the first group and join in the pursuit of Zelda.

Link frowned. For over a month she'd been recovering, now nine days after she left she was once more out of his reach. These past few days he'd been scouring the woods and now finally he had found it, the path that would lead him to the sacred grove.

Tentatively he ventured further into the woods, glancing around, scrutinizing every tall-limbed tree and ice-coated pond. He kept a wary alertness to his surroundings. There was no telling what trickery the woods had in store for him.

His ears perked as he followed the music, letting it lead him. From around him nothing stirred. No animals wandered here, not even the larger and more gruesome beasts, somehow they all knew to keep away.

Link jolted as a stone monument came into view through the trees. Swiftly he unsheathed his sword and held up his shield arm, bending into a stance. The monument was chiseled into the shape of a stone guardian, its hand closed around the length of a massive poleax. It made no movement and gave no indication that it would.

Steadily, Link crept forward, knowing that for some sentinels one had to be just close enough that they could sense one's presence to come alive in warning. Link neared it, ready to spring or pounce depending on the monument's recourse.

He moved so that he stood directly before it, not three feet away. It continued to stare solidly ahead. At length he relaxed and straightened, but did not sheathe his sword. Tentatively he tapped the solid frame with his pointed sword tip. It made a small clang, but nothing substantial occurred.

_Just an ordinary statue…_

Good. He despised it when the things came to life. One could never tell if something meant to be inanimate was just that or if it was liable to become hostile. Flying pots, floor tiles, vicious suits of armor, and other statues brought him a whole slew of negative experiences.

Lazily he brushed some stray white flakes from his shoulders before narrowing his eyes in determination and pressing on.

He didn't see the statue's eyes flash red as he passed...

He was intent on his goal. Once he retrieved the master sword he would search out Zelda then find this Lord Xerthos and kill him, demon powers be damned. He was not going to allow this menace to wreak havoc on Hyrule, although the man's inaction so far was worrisome. What could he be planning? If he was anything like Ganondorf Link would have to be wary.

He sighed, looking upward through a canopy of green and white, past which a blue night's sky stretched across the heavens. He was reminded of those long moments in his previous life, camping outside, gazing at the stars as his yearning for Zelda filled him with sorrowful longing.

Deep down he was furious at her, but still he hoped that wherever she was Zelda was holding up alright. If she had to leave why couldn't it have waited until spring at least? The paths were far less dangerous, and he would have had time to convince her of all the reasons to stay. Or he could have convinced Zellandus to have her locked up somewhere she couldn't escape, but then they hadn't known she'd intended to run. It was unpreventable.

Why did she do it? She wasn't well, she needed rest and to be cared for. If only he'd been able to speak with her. He'd watched over her so many times throughout that month and each time it became harder and harder addressing her unconscious form. She'd been so still as if in death or on the verge of it. So many times he'd wish for her eyes to open only for her to remain unresponsive. It had been painful seeing her so damaged like that. It took him back to their most recent face off against the Thief King. Flashes would enter his mind of her lying dead upon the stone, blood soaking through her gown and eyes staring ahead, glazed in death. The most torturous were the images of her impaled on Ganondorf's long black sword.

He blinked away the vision as it arose now. It was all past, it was not worth dwelling upon. All it did was bring up pain and misery. Right now he needed to be steadfast and focused. With the master sword he'd be better able to protect her. What was a demon to the power of the Goddesses? He'd be able to defeat Lord Xerthos and his equally devious cohorts then return to life as it should be… hopefully with Zelda at his side. That is, should she ever forgive him…

Perhaps they were indeed soul mates, perhaps they were destined to be together from the start, each and every lifetime then when he had spurned her the Goddesses had decided to take her away as a punishment. He had not realized how much he had needed her until she was gone.

He stopped in his tread, suddenly feeling weary.

Maybe he didn't deserve her then. He quickly brushed that thought aside. Of course he didn't deserve her, there was no man who had or ever would. But that wouldn't stop him from striving for her and in the end if she still didn't want him…

He continued on. The trees began spreading out a bit more, flora poked up amidst the snow and grass. He placed his hand on a smooth trunk, thick as a house, the bark rough against his exposed fingertips. If one wanted they could carve it out and create a little abode for themselves.

He smiled and padded forward. To his left a glistening pond curved under the low bows of a tree, its surface coated with ice. And from across it he could see something…no, someone pressed against a twisted willow tree, cloaked and face cast in shadow.

Hefting his sword, he spun it once then tread carefully onto the ice, steps cautious as he crossed. The person took a step back at his approach, their form slight and thin.

His brows furrowed as he peered closer and then he abruptly stopped in his tracks.

_Impossible!_

His eyes widened, mouth falling as it struggled to shape into words. "Zelda!?"

It was unmistakable. From beneath her hood, dark as the night's sky, her clear blue eyes gleamed at him before she whirled around and darted off.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Lots of lamenting. Mostly Zelda centered. I apologize for leaving you with a cliffhanger, but I promise the next chapter won't be long in coming, thank nanowrimo for that ^^. I've been writing every free chance I got.**

**_Cameron_: I understand why you're so mad, I knew that last chapter would upset a lot of people, but that's the way I have the story planned. Please trust me. It would be a pity if you gave up on the story now.**

**Please read and review! And don't hesitate to mention any questions, comments or concerns.**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: This, I fear, is a rather cruel chapter. But worry not, things will only be looking up from herein (for a while at least).**

**Thank you for reviewing: 11lol11, PianoPlayer1200, Ancient . tree, Generala, ObscurityProject, Astercia, Wolf, Nazgul, Cameron, Bloodspire, wonders, Death Watlz, DarknessFathom, Reader314, tetraforce theory, A True NaZaMi Fan, LillyFlower, Twokeyz, FallenAngel2298, and Schniedragon88.**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 25<strong>

"Zelda!"

He made to take off after her and promptly slipped on the ice. Waving his arm to steady himself he regained his balance then cautiously plodded over the frozen water. The ice began to subside under his weight as cracks were formed, stretching out before him. He moved slowly, and just as he reached the end leapt off.

Once more on solid ground he quickened into a run, looking up to catch sight of her among the trees. He saw the tail end of her cloak disappear around an outcrop and shot after it.

She led him off the path and the music slowly faded as he left that part of the woods where the sacred grove was hidden. He knew it could take him days to relocate the music but he didn't care about all that. Zelda was his priority.

By fate or fortune he'd found her again. He would not let her disappear. Not this time. His heart could only handle so much.

She suddenly swerved as she took a sharp turn to the left dashing through another hollow. Link ducked an overhanging branch and ran after her, arms and legs pumping to keep up. How had she become so fast?

He slowed as he entered a vast enclosure and he looked around. A waterfall hung on one side, frozen over with icicles and jutting curves of ice; to his right there was a wide tree stump, rotting and old, frost eating at its surface.

A chill breeze blew past, whipping his cloak out behind him. His breath came in puffs of mist as he swerved around, sweeping his eyes over the trees and foliage, searching the undergrowth.

His heart rate fluctuated and his pulse jumped as he realized she wasn't here. His breaths came faster the longer he couldn't find her. He cursed to himself loudly and grit his teeth. Damn it! How had he lost her so quickly?! The woods were home to him, how had she outpaced him?

Then he noticed it, a patch of snow on the ground and a small imprint in the shape of a boot. It was fresh and shallow, signifying that it bore the lighter weight of a woman.

Mind set in determination he followed the direction the toe was pointing down another hollow. Upon emerging he was faced with a high view of a meadow. He was at the top of a hill, and below the forest extended outward in all directions. Then he saw her, running across the meadow, cloak flaring behind her.

Link hurried down the slope. In the open space and with his longer legs he was sure to catch up to her. He skidded down the last few feet among a pile of slippery snow then pushed off, gaining momentum with each long stride.

Dead leaves and frosty ground crunched beneath his boots. As if sensing his presence behind her, Zelda suddenly sped up, shooting across the meadow like a keaton. Link quickened to beat her pace. Slowly he was closing in on her, just a little longer and he'd be able to grab her cloak.

They reentered the tree line and once again Link had to duck and dodge the oncoming bramble. Soon Link drew near enough that he could hear her soft panting and the flapping of her cloak as it folded and billowed with every twist and turn she took.

Link reached out to her. "Zelda! Please!" he called, voice coming in gasps. "Wait!"

She neither faltered nor paused as she continued running. Soon the trees abruptly ended and a chasm appeared before them. Link's eyes widened as he realized that she wasn't stopping. She was heading straight for the crevice without a break in her stride.

He drew on a desperate burst of speed. "Zelda, Stop!"

Her boot touched the edge of the cliff then she sprang. Her cloak flared as she shot upward and flew to the higher rise on the other side. Inhaling sharply, Link stared at her figure, his memory recounting a similar sight, but for the life of him he could not remember the context.

He skidded to a halt a foot away from the drop and watched as she lithely alighted on the rise and continued running.

Link frowned in frustrated annoyance and gnashed his teeth. Reaching into his pouch he withdrew his hookshot and took aim at the closest tree branch on the other side. Releasing the latch, he waited for it to strike into the bark before pressing the it and reeling it in. He soared over the chasm, pushing on the button to release the point from the tree and dropping down in a crouch.

His eyes burned with fierce intent as he located her trail and followed it. It wasn't long before he once again caught sight of her, this time she was above shooting from tree to tree.

If only she would stop and listen to what he had to say, just for a moment… He growled lowly between pants. She wasn't even giving him a chance! She took all choice away from him! How selfish! How undeniably conceited of her!

Was her grudge against him that strong? He knew his treatment of her in their past life had been awful, but did it truly warrant this? She wasn't even allowing him to explain himself, to beg for her forgiveness. Couldn't she see that he still loved her?! Had what he said in her… in her last moments… mean nothing to her? He had told her he loved her; that he wanted to be with her. She'd promised him they'd meet in the next life!

How could she lie to him?!

She then jumped to the ground to enter yet another hollow. As he gained on her he faltered a step as that familiar music reached his ears. The ground before him dipped into an enclosure with no exit. He suddenly stopped. All around were the stone ruins of something ancient and holy.

He looked down and saw her standing in the center of a cobbled ground, stones inlaid in a mosaic pattern of the triforce. She was faced away, her hood having fallen off, abundant golden locks piling out and cascading down her back, flecked with random flakes of snow.

The mark on the back of his left hand seemed to pulse, he felt it burn through his glove, a warm and familiar feeling.

The sacred grove…

Had she… had she led him here?

He cast his eyes down onto her still form, bright and wonderingly. He stepped to the edge and then swung over and climbed down the vines. Three feet from the ground, he jumped off and warily faced her, half fearing that she would run again.

Tentatively he strode forward, heart beating fast as his mouth became dry. He swallowed a lump in his throat and spoke softly, "Zelda?"

"Link…" And then she turned around him and it was most beautiful sight he had ever seen.

A pale heart-shaped face looked up at him, framed by smooth blonde tresses, slightly curled in the damp atmosphere. Crystal blue eyes met his, clear and morose as if there was a great deal of pain hidden away in their depths.

He could only imagine how much he had contributed to that pain and his heart cracked at the reminder of his faults. He gazed yearningly at her, begging her to see how sorry he was, how much he longed for her…

Her expression remained one of nonchalance. He was struck by how cold she looked, staring at him like that.

Clenching his fists, he averted his gaze, and squeezed his eyes shut. No matter how angry at her he was, how frustrated and irritated by this sorrow they shared, he acknowledged that it was his own fault. If she didn't want to see him, if she sent him away right now then he'd do it. He'd leave and wouldn't bother her again. But he'd never give up on her. He'd wait and if someday she wished to return to him, then he'd be right there, ready to receive her.

He squeezed his eyes tighter and raised a hand to cover his face, awaiting those words that would damn him. They didn't come, however.

Instead she said to him in a clear voice, one void of emotion, "What is it that you want from me? Why do you not cease to chase me?"

His eyes shot open and he looked at her disbelievingly. Could she truly not tell? He took an anxious step forward, heart pounding wildly in his chest. "You have to ask me that? Isn't it obvious? I want you. I've always wanted you, my love for you has never waned."

"Has it now?" her voice lowered vindictively.

Link frowned with conviction. "Yes," he said firmly, carefully watching for any sign of emotion to cross her face. It remained blank, not even the barest hint of anger or sadness. Not like the turmoil that filled his being. "Zelda…" he breathed out lowly, his features softening. "Come back to the castle with me. Your brother has sorely missed you, as have I. Just…please." His eyes portrayed his yearning as he stretched out a hand, willing her to grasp it.

She merely flicked her eyes down at it then reconnected their gazes. "I…" She looked away, and Link suddenly found it hard to breathe as her eyes became downcast, and sadness stretched across her face.

He wanted to pull her into his arms. More than anything he wanted to erase that sadness and let it all melt away. But he couldn't. Not yet. Not when there were so many things between them that needed to be fixed. So many unsaids needed to be said. He didn't want to risk scaring her off.

"Zelda please, I need you with me," he said softly, voice breaking as his eyes moistened. He squeezed them shut and looked away. "I can't live without you. I just can't…"

Her voice, he noted, when it broke the silence, had returned to its bland tone as if holding in all the feelings meant to go with it. "We parted on disagreeable terms, didn't we…"

Link grit his teeth as he dropped his hand. As painful as it was he knew that it would come to this. They had to talk about this sometime and it was best to get it out in the open as soon as possible. Their past life… their most horrendous life.

"No," she said dimly, shaking her head. "You never loved me. You cared for me but when your conditions could no longer be met you rejected me and took another that could hold your interest." She smiled, but it was wan and sorrowful, not like the bright contented ones he had once known her for. Her gaze became piercing and he found himself backing away in anguish, subconsciously trying to get as far away from her anger, her hate, as possible. "That is not love."

Link realized what he was doing and planted his foot down, standing firm against her accusatory gaze. He could not give up yet. He would not let her chase him away, not without a fight.

"Zelda, I can't imagine how you must have felt," he began, cringing at the sound of it. "But know that I am sorry for all of it." He took a step forward, his voice more steadfast and controlled. "I will never ever treat you like that again. You're too precious to me…"

She turned away and for a moment Link thought she was going to flee and readied to jolt in reaction, but she stayed still, gazing upward at the falling snow, at the walls of the enclosure and the trees above them.

"Do you wish to know how I felt?" she asked softly. "Do you wish to know of my suffering, watching you with that woman every day and leaving you be. But then I confronted you, our destinies were about to begin and you needed to be awakened to your role. You were overzealous and confident. It was all repetitive to you, it meant nothing, it was a bothersome role you played, no longer an honor granted by the Goddesses. And I… I sought to bring you back to the reality of the situation."

It was all true… He had been reckless and foolish. He'd been resentful of his status as hero and blamed her for all of it.

She looked at him over her shoulder, eyes suddenly hard and penetrating. "And then you shut me out. That fateful day in my study, I remember every single word you said, your mocking tone, your spite. You made it quite clear to me that neither I nor your destiny were wanted."

"Zelda…"

She went on. "Fortunately you had the good sense to save Hyrule anyways. I resigned myself to knowing you didn't want me as a part of your life anymore and so I stayed away, but there would have been no living for you had you abandoned your duty. I would have tracked you down myself and ended you there. What is the purpose of being reborn if you cannot fulfill the destined fate your rebirth entails?"

She would have…? "Goddesses! Zelda, know that I would never leave Hyrule in the hands of evil," he spoke ardently. "I would never be able to watch idle as people's lives are placed in mortal peril."

She nodded distractedly. "That is good…"

Silence pervaded. A coarse wind blew, swirling their hair and cloaks around, its coldness biting at their cheeks. If there was anything good he'd done in his previous life it had been undergoing his journey to save Hyrule. Everything else, everything pertaining to her, he'd messed up on. He didn't know if there was anything he could do that would be enough to make it up to her.

She inhaled heavily, her bosom rising and falling from beneath her cloak. "It was so lonely," she uttered sadly, eyes glazed and downcast. "Forced to live without the comfort of another old soul beside me. There was no one I could confide in regarding our past lives. All were so suspicious whenever I revealed any advanced knowledge of a field that they believed I had not studied in, how I recognized different locations and landmarks I've never been, whenever I accidently addressed someone by the name of their ancestors. It was difficult to hide. It still is."

"Your brother knows," said Link tentatively. "The Sheikah, Zoras, and a few others, close confidants."

"But none of them could understand, none but you…" she said tearfully.

Link felt something grip his heart and squeeze. He had condemned her to that loneliness. It was his fault. Why had he been so selfish?

"And you," Zelda started quietly, looking up at him, wiping at her eyes. "You punished me unduly. You not only neglected me, you tormented me as well. Flaunting your freedom before me, taunting me with your carelessness and obdurate tendencies. While I feared for the world, you played with it. Everything was accessible to you, defeating the temples was an activity done at leisure, and when things didn't go your way you turned to me to blame, saying you never wanted to be the hero anyways as if I personally had forced you to take that role."

He cringed as her tone became more harsh and unforgiving. If only he had the ocarina of time he could redo it all…

"And you exercised no restraint for your feelings on the matter," she continued, heatedly and Link flinched, that nasty claw on his heart gripping ever tighter. "Whenever you saw me you always had a harsh word, always vindictive, always ornery, you made it quite clear what you thought of me and my role. I was always the one getting in the way of your normal life. Always the cause for your misery. Always-"

"I KNOW!" he shouted, gripping his head and fighting to restrain the tears. He couldn't take it anymore. She was right! And it was too painful to have it all acknowledged. How weak of him. Cowering in the face of his own faults. There was no denying them, but it was still too harsh to bear.

"I know," he said more softly, striding forward. She took a hasty step back and he froze, putting his hands up. "I'm sorry, I promise to keep my distance."

He sighed as she stared at him with wide gorgeous eyes, half fearful and half cautious. She was like an injured animal. He would have to make sure he didn't make any sudden movements.

He inhaled sharply through his teeth. "I know that I have been cruel and loathsome. But I swear to you now that I am ashamed of what I had become. An overconfident insensitive fool," he admitted freely. "If there is some way that I can make it up to you, I'd do so in a heartbeat. I would do anything that you ask. Please. I love you, Zelda…"

There was a pause and then Zelda let out a long sigh.

"In truth I grow weary of living. I tire of enduring court life, the prejudice and cruel remarks I receive whenever Hyrule inevitably falls. I seem to be always the one to blame for an incidence that is unpreventable. And then there's the disapproval when in the end I am not the one to save it, the task always falling to you. Incompetent, they call me. Incapable of keeping my own country when doubtless with any other ruler the outcome would have been the same. And these are the people I must contend with each time after becoming Queen."

It hit him then that she was reiterating their conversations years ago. It was a reflection of some of the things he had endured and confronted her about. At the time she hadn't uttered a single word in her defense, he hadn't given her leave to, only now he was seeing that she was as trapped as he. Back then it hadn't occurred to him that she too was tired of life, that she no longer wanted any part in her destiny. How had he not seen that their continuous reincarnation was taking a toll on her as well? And it was made worse because for her there was never any escape. Unlike him, she never had any choice in the life she was to live. If he had wanted to he could have left without ever returning to Hyrule. But as royalty, she had always been shackled, even more so than him. She'd play her role then become a prisoner of her country. But unlike him she had bore her duty without complaint.

How strong she was… And he had been too blinded by his own wants to see it.

His eyes became watered as he gazed at her. Even now she remained so strong, she was determined to face this evil alone. He suspected that the reason she stayed away from him was because the fear of him causing her more pain would prove too much for her. But he would never do anything to hurt her again, and he'd make sure she realized that. He was here for her now.

"Please, Zelda. I would do anything for you," he reiterated. Words would never be enough, but maybe actions would… "I would become your King once more."

Under Zellandus' influence being King didn't seem so burdensome anymore. He had spoke of it as an honor, as a privilege where one could serve the people in the most powerful way. He'd take on that title once more for her and this time he wouldn't hate it, he'd participate more, be willing to help alleviate all the duties she'd always born by herself as Queen.

Zelda only shook her head. "Let Zellandus have the throne," she said loathsomely. "Let him become Hyrule's defender. Let him bear the responsibility that the title endows upon him."

Link's eyes widened in incomprehension. Was she willingly abdicating? In all his years of knowing her he had never believed her capable of giving up her birthright, but then there had never been anyone she believed deserving on the crown.

His heart stopped as she walked close to him then beckoned him to come near. He came to her gladly and when she opened her arms he swooped down and enfolded her in his. He suddenly found that he had no strength to prevent his tears and they flooded madly down his face onto her shoulder. He stooped down and buried his head in the hollow of her neck. Her hands caressed his back soothingly as shudders wracked him.

"I'm sorry, Zelda," he moaned into her shoulder. "So so sorry."

Her fingers found their way into his hair and she threaded them through his tresses. "Come away with me."

She spoke softly and his ear flickered at the touch of her cold breath. His shoulders tensed, feeling a sense of foreboding. "What?"

She continued to drift her fingers through his short tresses. "Hyrule only leaves suffering and pain for us. The Goddesses have been cruel to damn us like this. It is time we forge our own path. It is time we forsake the Goddesses and find our future in different lands. I no longer want to live forever. Let the Goddesses choose a new hero and Princess. Our time is over."

Her words sent a chill down his spine. His breath caught suddenly as an unpleasant feeling filled him. Something wasn't right. Zelda would never say something like this, she'd never abandon Hyrule. Her country came before anything, even before her own wants and needs. He barely reacted as she continued soothing him with her hands, caressing and probing and violating.

In a quick movement he pulled back and snatched her wrist, placing one hand between her shoulder blades he twisted and slammed her front against a tree, taking her by surprise.

She shrieked, voice fearful. "Link! What are you doing!?"

He grit his teeth. Damn it all! How had he not seen it? She was not his Zelda! Now that he thought of it… He suddenly probed deep into her, looking for a trace of her Triforce. There was nothing! Absolutely nothing but empty coldness. This imposter wasn't even human. It infuriated him that he had fallen for it.

His anger manifested in his deepened voice and lethal tone. "Who and what are you?" he demanded, pushing her harder into the tree. "Speak!"

"I don't understand! Link, please, you're hurting me," she whimpered.

For a second his resolve fractured before he steeled himself once more. He would not be fooled again.

"I know you're not Zelda!" he accused boldly. "Zelda would never consider leaving Hyrule! As much as I hate it, she's self-sacrificing and devoted to her country. There's nothing she would ever love more." Not even him…

The fake Zelda stilled, drawing into a foreboding silence. Link tensed as she gave a small laugh and twisted her head against the bark to look at him from the side.

Her eyes flashed red. That was all the warning he had before he suddenly leapt back out of range as she swiped the air with a rapier that had manifested in her hand. She strode confidently toward him and he took out his sword and bore it warily.

The fake Zelda stopped fifteen feet away then unlatched the clasp of her cloak and let it pool on the ground amidst a snow drift. She observed him and cocked her head, smiling, to the side. "Why Link? Do you not love me anymore? How heavy my heart weeps with tears of blood and anguish. Am I to be cast aside when not of use?"

Tears kept on falling from his eyes, the persistent things. "Just shut up! You're not her! How dare you pretend to be her!"

The fake only hummed considering. "How my love for you never fades. Alas, it is not a reciprocated trait. How fickle you are, playing with women's hearts at your own fancy. To steal mine and to give nothing in recompense."

Link roared in rage and attacked.

* * *

><p>Zelda paused in her trek to look down over Hyrule, taking a moment to admire the beauty of it. This wonderful land was hers to protect, as it always had been. Dasril paused beside her and waited, leaving a good deal of space between them.<p>

She could tell he had questions to ask of her, likely to do with their destination, but wisely he kept silent. He had informed her of a burial ground that Xerthos had used many times for his rituals, yet she had taken them on a detour. The burial ground was close enough that it would take less than half a day's worth of travel. In the meantime they would make camp in a place that she knew far too well. Once they rested for a while they could unload their supplies and later go down to investigate the spot for anything that could give them insight to Xerthos's whereabouts.

She glanced back at Dasril, accidently catching his gaze then turned away and moved on, climbing further up Death Mountain to where the Gorons made their dwellings.

After the flurries had abated once morning came they had continued eastward then curved their way downward, reaching the mountain by noon. They had managed to evade Kakariko village by approaching the pass from the north, but had not been able to avoid the random traveller on the road as they journeyed to the village before the heavy snowfalls set in.

A harsh gale blew in her face, ruffling her hair and gnawing at her skin. They finally reached the peak after another hour. Before them stood the Goron village, constructed entirely from the rock. Near the main entrance, two Gorons lingered outside as guards. They conversed loudly with each other, having not yet seen the intruders.

"Gorons? You mean to tell me I've just climbed Death Mountain?" said Dasril. Seemingly quite appalled, by his tone.

Zelda glanced at him. "How little you know your own country." She paused before stepping into view, blinking against the wind.

"My job required that I travel _outside_ of the country," he defended. "Besides, under the snow this mountain looks like any other."

"Indeed," Zelda muttered, ending the short conversation. She threw him a glance. "Brace yourself."

He looked at her quizzically then scowled and tore his eyes away, obviously displeased about something, probably his lack of comforts.

She started down the rocky ledges, carefully descending to the flat ground below. He gave in too easy. There had been times where they would bicker incessantly on end before he finally desisted in the end, conceding her the win. But he knew that in order to retain her favor he had to become compliant.

Sometimes she'd miss their lengthy conversations, but then her mind would flash back to that grey tinted prison, his figure standing emotionless and uncaring above her, and her heart would harden once more. Dasril had a lot to make up for, and she'd be damned before she made it any easier for him, however, she wouldn't make it harder for him either. As they were now, they were complete strangers.

The Gorons soon spotted them and began ambling to them at a quickened pace. Dasril took a wary step back, while Zelda openly walked over.

Suddenly a pair of thick arms surrounded her and she was swept up in a bone-crushing hug.

"Midraga! How good it is to see you!" called one of the Gorons.

From somewhere behind her, Dasril releases a sort of strangled sound as the other Goron approached him, arms wide.

"Dasril! It has been ages!" said the second Goron as Dasril ducked beneath his swooping arms and dodged back. "Don't you recognize me? I was part of chief Darbo's entourage during the midsummer's festival."

Keeping a good distance away from the Gorons, Dasril scowled in irritation. "Look all the bloody same to me," he muttered under his breath, but Zelda with her fine Hylian hearing, heard him. Most of them did indeed look alike.

She tried not to wince as she was set down. Perhaps pushing herself so hard had not been such a good idea. Her stomach sunk within her, just knowing that she was not at full capacity, that she was still weak from her ordeal, tore at her beyond reason. The feeling of uncontrollable helplessness pained her more than any physical wound ever could. Never again did she want to have to depend so fully on another. Never again would she place all faith and trust on one person, only to be disappointed in the end.

"What brings you here in the dead of winter?" boomed the first Goron. "Have you come to see the chief?"

Zelda tore her mind away from her dismal thoughts and offered the Goron a kind smile. "Of course. I wouldn't dream of coming to the mountain and not paying a visit to my host."

The Goron thumped her lightly on the back, causing her to wince and stagger. "The chief will be pleased to receive you!"

The Gorons led them within the rocky dwelling. Zelda followed with a light trod, looking forward to her meeting with Darbo and perhaps some time in the hot springs afterwards.

"I can't believe you're still responding to the name of a horse!" shot Dasril, keeping in stride just short of next to her.

She didn't deign him a response. Midraga hadn't initially been a name for an animal, actually, he had been a notable knight, long ago passed. It was a valiant name.

He sighed then tried to engage her in conversation once more. "How in the blazes are you so well acquainted with the Gorons anyways?"

During one of her travels she had been nearby when she'd heard of a situation they had concerning rogue bulblins and decided to lend her assistance. She considered it her duty to help terminate them, but also she had hoped to encounter the Augurer. Apparently the Gorons, a tribe that valued strength above all else, were so impressed by her skill they had accepted her easily among them.

She didn't explain this out loud, however. Her earlier musings were still fresh in her mind. She didn't want to talk to Dasril, he had no right to seek her attention. Resolutely she remained silent, too tired to bother with him, or to care that she didn't want to bother with him. Some small part of her soul that was inherently kind, nagged her, saying she was being unreasonably cold towards him. It was stifled, however, by malice and hurt.

She hastened her step until they reached the main chamber, in the center of which stood a large Goron, thick, but with a stomach less protruding than the others, more hardened with muscle from endless hours spent in the ring.

"Chief Darbo, we have guests," called the first Goron, alerting the chief to their presence.

Zelda noticed the look in Darbo's eye as he caught her's and hastily dropped into a bow before he could crush the living daylights out of her. "Chief Darbo, it has been a while."

His mouth burst into a wide smile. "Only about half a year! It's good to see you doing well," he exclaimed then narrowed his gaze on Dasril and his eyes seemed to shine with extra delight. "And who's this? Minister Dasril. Have you taken on Midraga as your lover? A right smart choice!"

Dasril abruptly coughed and looked away, while Zelda furrowed her brows.

"Absolutely not," she stated firmly. "We are both merely traveling companions."

"Ah, that's disappointing," said Darbo, no less cheerful. "I personally think you would make a brilliant match."

_Chances of that are nil_, though Zelda sharply. Dasril was now shifting with uncharacteristic awkwardness from foot to foot.

"Have you come just for visiting or was there something that you required?"

Right down to the point. Darbo knew that with her there was always a purpose for everything she did, always a destination that she would reach in the end.

"If it would not be too troublesome we'd like to rest here for a few days," she said politely. "There is a place we need to go to tomorrow and we'd like to leave the heaviest of our packs here so as not to become too burdened. Also we require more provisions."

Darbo nodded. "I can see to those. For provisions though you'd have to visit our vendor."

She smiled faintly. "I wouldn't have expected anything less."

Although his hospitality was appreciated, she was not willing to take advantage of his charity. She had the means to pay for whatever she needed.

"Come then, I will show you to the hot springs."

Such a heavenly word. Zelda followed after him eagerly down the halls, listening to Darbo's chatter and inputting a remark here and there to show that she was paying attention.

A low sigh came from the man behind her, and she ignored it.

* * *

><p>Link narrowly dodged a jab to the face as he twisted to the side, watching the sharp steel veer inches from his nose. The fake Zelda pulled back and twirled, raising her rapier high, and slashing again, moving foot over foot in a fencer's pose. It was uncanny how similar her fighting technique was to Zelda's. He couldn't help but assess the similarities as he fought, it was almost as if she were a faded version of her.<p>

The fake Zelda smiled forlornly, red eyes shining with maliciousness. "I've become a victim of the people, of Hyrule. Then you. Why did you turn on me when I needed you most?"

Link's eye flashed as he parried her sword then cut in at her midsection. He tried not to take in her words, tried to block them out, but he couldn't, because it all rang true.

She dashed backwards, so lithe it was almost as if she was floating. "I've been ever devout to you. Why Link, why?"

Gritting his teeth he fought the urge to relent, to throw down his sword and succumb to her and wallow in his misery. He had to constantly remind himself that this was not the real Zelda. She was not his Zelda. It was an impersonation that needed to be destroyed.

He kept telling himself this…

Abruptly she swooped in, steel glinting as it cut through the air, sweeping a gust of snow with it.

"It takes becoming a martyr for that spite to turn into adoration," she grunted as she slashed downward. Link winced as she managed to clip his shoulder, leaving a thin trail of blood to stain his tunic. "I died, Link. It was only then that you began to love me once more. If I had lived you would have continued to resent me. Oh, the vagaries of human nature. To love what is lost and begrudge what one has."

"That's not true!" he called, unable to stop himself. He tried to ignore her, but it was impossible. When she spoke in that voice, looked at him with that face... She was the physical embodiment of Zelda, but for those demonic red orbs.

He had resented her at first during their past lifetime. It had been a buildup of all the lives he'd had serving the Goddesses, obeying their every whim, and having his life dictated to him each and every time. He had no longer wanted to be their plaything so had decided to take control of the only part of his destiny that he could, and thus had effectively ruined his relationship with Zelda. He'd said many things he wished he could take back, he'd distanced himself from her, but even then he had started to regret his decision. He had been overcome with guilt and misery during those months of temple conquering, often visiting bars in between to suppress his depression with the influence of drink. He'd been snappish, and more irritable to those he had considered close friends.

He had undergone many realizations back then.

Darkly she cooed at him. "I sacrifice my kingdom, I sacrifice my freedom and dignity in order to save Hyrule, yet I am no hero. The people do not see me as the savior of Hyrule, they always look to you, always."

Link swerved out of the way of one of her assaults, before clashing blades with her. "I acknowledge my faults. I know I have done wrong and I know that you are hurting. But you won't even give me a chance to make it up to you!" He growled and increased the force behind his blade. The fake's arms trembled at the strain, her gaze flicking up to him and narrowing. "I'm not the only one with faults," hissed Link, words fueled by sorrow and anger. "You aren't making this any easier for either of us. I hurt as well!"

She yelped as he swept her sword suddenly aside.

"So that is why I'm going to face this head on," he grunted and abruptly thrust his sword forward.

The imposter grunted and froze, mouth dropping in an inaudible gasp. Link stilled, his face hovering next to hers, sword deep in her chest.

"And make it work!"

He slid his sword out of her and watched her flop to her knees, head sagging, the glowing of her eyes becoming dim.

"Because I love you," he whispered to the fake, wishing that it were the real Zelda he was telling this to.

The fake shivered and disappeared, fading out of existence, and in the air a voice seemed to say_, Well done_.

Link collapsed to his hands and knees. He shuddered, seeing in his mind's eye that vision of her impaled on his sword, just as so long ago she'd been impaled on Ganondorf's... Suddenly feeling sick, he flung the sword away from him. He grabbed at tufts of grass, breaths coming out in raspy sobs.

It wasn't her! He would never do anything to harm her, never! It hadn't been her.

It had been an illusion. It was all fake. The forest had been tricking him, testing him. How cruel of it.

"Why didn't you warn me?" he asked his companion. The Sheikah was supposed to be able to sense threats when they approached. Why hadn't he prepared him for this?

**_I hadn't the right to_**, said Laval. _**As a test set to you by the Goddesses, you had to face it alone.**_

The voice on the wind returned and filled his ears.

_Conquer your fears. Master yourself._

Taking a deep steadying breath, Link got up. All of a sudden around him the scenery changed. The stonework reconstructed itself, a breeze swept through and swept all signs of winter away, he could now see the full turf and mosaic floor. The was a spike of magic and then a creak as heavy doors swung open.

Turning around slowly, Link spotted a set of doors in the wall that hadn't been there before, and beyond them a glowing glade.

Drawing a hand over his face he looked up with determination and set his shoulders. He walked inside with deliberation, confidence flourishing within him. The Master Sword had once more deemed him worthy and awaited him.

He stepped up to the pedestal and grasped the handle with his left hand and pulled it out. A familiar flush of magic swept over him, a bright stream of light shot out to all corners of the grove, engulfing him in its magnificence. His blood became warm, he felt the sword practically pulse in recognition as the mark on the back of his hand burned with ferocity.

The light display died out and he looked down to find himself clothed in his green hero's garments, over which he still wore his scarf and cloak. He felt the heft of the sword in his grasp and stared down at his old companion, eyeing his reflection in the blade, his eyes appeared searing yet bland.

He slashed it diagonally down, cutting the air, then twirled it twice and sheathed it in the scabbard on his back. Morosely, he left the sacred grove. He didn't so much as glance at the sword lying discarded on the grass as he went up to the wall and climbed up the vines. At the top he dusted off a few leaves before he languidly made his way out of the woods, his heading northwest.

"Do you think she feels the same way? As the fake, I mean," said Link silently. "Do you think Zelda's really been through all that?"

Laval's silence weighed heavily on him. It was answer enough. But then...

_**Beware, Link!**_

Through Laval, Link felt the malevolent presence. Drawing his sword, he turned swiftly to see Reth DeSange leaning casually against a tree, arms crossed and smiling wryly.

"Ah, Link, pleasure to see you," he said lightly, giving a light wave. "Why, you look as if somebody just died."

Snarling, Link bore down on Reth only to find that his blade had cut nothing. Reth's voice sounded behind him and Link whirled around to find him high up on a tree branch. Reth frowned as he paced down the length of it.

"I would advise against doing that again," he cautioned all seriousness. "I can always teleport away, you know."

"Reth!" hissed Link, poised to attack despite Reth's warning. Just in case Reth slipped up, just in case he came a little too close and was a little too slow. His right hand twitched, about to go for his pouch and bring out the hookshot.

"I wouldn't try that either," Reth input. "Trust me, I've learned from past experience." Surreptitiously he touched the spot where he'd been punctured last time, eliciting a mocking smile from Link.

It quickly faded. "How did you know where to find me?" If he was somehow spying on him that wouldn't be good.

Reth shrugged and answered lightly. "Well you are the hero of course. I couldn't help but notice during our last little encounter that you didn't have that fancy blade you possess now. I figured it wouldn't be long until you went to retrieve it. I found this grove ages ago but was unable to enter it due to my black heart." He smiled whimsically at this. "So I placed sentries around it to alert me when you did finally come fetch the blasted thing."

"What do you want?" Because why else would Reth be here other than if there was something he wished to gain.

Reth smiled with delight. "Good good, right down to business then. In reality, I want what you want. I don't suppose you're happy with the last little duel we had in the temple, so here it is my proposal. I suggest a rematch. Just you and me, with no outside interference. You must dearly want to kill me for what I did to your poor little Princess. I am giving you a limited opportunity to have a fair go at it. Generous, right?"

Link considered this, lips almost curling into a smile before caution stilled them. It was too good of an offer.

As if sensing his hesitation Reth clasped his hands behind his back and looked down at him gleefully. "Of course, if you're tempted to refuse I can provide you with ample motivation not to. There's this quaint little village by a lake that I have a particular desire to burn to the ground. I promise I won't so much as go near it should you agree, and as a generous extension, even if I come out the winner I'll still not touch it, unless Lord Xerthos orders that is."

Link tensed, his pulse racing. Even with all the wet weather they'd been having, he knew that Reth could make it happen. There was no choice for him, but then again, was there ever really?

Bending his legs, he drew his sword back. "I accept."

But Reth waved him off. "Oh, no no no. Not here and definitely not now," he said, floating off the branch. "Tomorrow at dawn. There's a nice little spot perfect for our challenge east of here, it's called the King's Rise. I'll provide an escort to come fetch you."

_**He chooses the time and location. It is definitely a trap.**_

Link flicked his ears at Laval's voice talking in his head. A trap it may be, but this was one that he definitely had to walk into. He could not risk the lives of friends. How sick and twisted this man's brain worked. How desperately Link wanted to end his miserable life.

"I'll be there," he said firmly, to which Reth clasped his hands together.

"Excellent!" he said, already beginning to vanish, his body leaving the vicinity as his voice lingered. "And please, don't be late."

Link made sure the area was clear before he relaxed and sheathed the Master Sword. He would come and this time he'd end him for good.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: ****I believe some character analysis in is order. As Zelda fears Link, the same could be said in opposite, subconsciously Link fears facing Zelda and confronting the result of what his abandonment did to her. But unlike Zelda who opts to run in the face of her fears, Link deals with it by facing it head on, although somewhat lacking tact.**

**A good guess everyone, but no, it's not Reth who created the fake. As Link said, the forest was testing him.**

**_Twokeyz_: I'm taking a bunch of psychology courses right now, you'll see that I implement a lot of that in my writing. The result: frustrating characters who don't know what's best for them, lol. Thank you for the review!**

**_Cameron_: *Gives enormous hug* You don't know happy I was to read that. I'm sorry everything has been depressing thus far, but I promise it won't always be so. There _will_ be happy times. I can only thank you for putting up with all these tragic events.**

**Okay, so to answer the question concerning the beginning of last chapter, with Reth's point of view, I shall now refer back to chapter 11. Commander Deb will have mentioned something about a miscreant they had faced some 4 years ago, believing it had been Zellandus who had been in the fight, but in actuality it was Zelda. Since Reth had been there too, those memories are cleared up for him once Xerthos relieves his mind of tampering. And since we've established that Reth is a sadist, the memories of the war are the one's he most often likes to dwell on. (In case people be wondering, I always imagined Reth close in age to Dasril, but I believe I said he was supposed to be the youngest on the council so I'd say he's around 21 year old).**

**I believe you asked a question about this a while ago, Generala. Sorry it took so long to reveal the answer, and thank you for your patience in waiting.**

**Good luck with finals, Cameron! And anyone else out there who has to suffer them (me included XP)**

**P.S: I just started a tumblr account, you can find the link on my profile page. I also posted a few new stories in case anyone's interested.**


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Lotsa action here. It's really fast paced. I hope it's not too hard to follow ^^'**

**Thank you for reviewing: Wolf, A True NaZaMi Fan, Link The Hero of Light, Reader314, 11lol11, Death Waltz, Twokeyz, Generala, ObscurityProject, Bloodspire, Schniedragon88, Astercia, Prometheus17, Ancient . tree, vrave1, Cameron, tetraforce theory, DarknessFathom, LiddyRose, Guest (Dec 26), JoyceDare, Lisa Violet, Cosmic Bond, TragicMagic14, and Yanner12!**

**Wow! Over 400 reviews! Soooo happy! ^^**

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><p><span><strong>Chapter 26<strong>

Zelda winced as she carefully unwound the rest of the bandages from her hands, letting the material fall to the floor. She held her hands out in front of her and stared at them, her expression one of blankness. At first it had taken a while to muster up the nerve to look at them to properly survey the damage, and then it had made her faint with sickness. Now, habituated to the sight, she merely felt a bud of self-pity.

Her hands were a wreck. Scars and odd bumps and ridges lined the areas where her fingers had broken. Her nails were torn, two had barely begun to grow back, her knuckles and palms were red with newly formed skin after having been split open from the force of pounding on her dark prison and shooting out light magic as she had tried anything to get out. In addition they had become cracked from the dry atmosphere. All in all, it may be some time before her hands returned to their normal state. As Laura had said, the hands were a delicate part of the anatomy to heal.

Although grotesque, the appearance of them didn't matter as much to her as the fact that she wouldn't be able to use her weapons as efficiently. She had found that she could still grasp a sword, as long as she kept a firm grip on it she was able to use it, but wielding it pained her. And she was not able to use any of her knives properly. It was frustrating to say the least.

Unable to bear the sight for a moment longer, she gently swathed each hand with salve and rewrapped them, reminding her of a time she'd done the same as Sheik. She would have drunk some red potion to help hasten her recovery, but if one consumed too much over a relatively short period the healing effects would become less efficient. By the number of potions she'd been forced to down within the past month she was afraid that any more would do absolutely nothing for her, and she wasn't inclined to waste any. She'd save her red potions for serious wounds.

After she was finished she lay down on her cot, a flimsy mattress the Gorons had provided her to protect against the hard surface of their customary beds, and drew the blankets up around her, wishing this time to have a decent sleep. Somehow she didn't see that happening.

As predicted, she tossed and turned for a good hour, her mind whirring with thoughts, unable to remain silent and grant her peace. She was still dwelling upon the most recent memory she had relived and come to terms with. It no longer pained her, but it did provide more than a bit of disturbance.

_**You are distressed?**_

She squeezed her eyes shut at the sound of Impa's voice, hard but with a note of care hidden beneath it. The Sheikah were supposed to be virtually emotionless beings, uncomfortable with expressing any sort of feeling other than apathy and hatred, but then none could really control what they felt.

_**Tell me.**_

She blinked slowly and breathed out softly. "We were in a barn," Zelda responded quietly, nuzzling her head into her pillow. "We hid there as a group of bandits, sympathizers of Ganondorf, hunted us. They'd been waiting in ambush for us once we completed the water temple. The village was abandoned and they burned it down to smoke us out. I remember we had been so close to dying, from suffocating from the smoke. Link's tunic caught fire and half his back was burned. We were then captured and chained, to be carted off to Ganondorf. It felt as if everything had ended. Ganondorf was going to win."

_**And how did you escape?**_

Such confidence she placed in them. Of course the Sheikah would believe them clever enough to have formulated an escape plan, or rather, they'd been desperate enough to pull off anything they could think of.

"Link, he…" it made her cringe to remember, "he broke his own thumbs in order to pull out of his manacles. I didn't have the courage to do the same, so he snuck out and retrieved the keys, holding them between his teeth to unlock my shackles. We stole a horse, and I had to hold onto him as we rode. The alarm was soon raised and we were chased. We barely managed to get away. We hid in the woods and I stayed vigil over Link that entire night praying that he would survive, he was so badly wounded…"

Impa kept silent. Zelda supposed it was odd that she was revealing so much of her past to her, many people in the know were generally uncomfortable hearing about her previous lives.

_**Zelda**_, Impa prodded with a bit of hesitation, _**perhaps it would be wise to -**_

She swiftly cut her off. "If you are suggesting what I think you are, then the answer is no." She rolled onto her back, flinging an arm over her forehead, resigned in knowing that there was no comfortable position on the mattress to be had.

_**You are hurting Zelda. By reuniting with the hero you can-**_

"There's a bitter distance between us," Zelda hissed, almost scathingly. "It cannot be breached all at once."

Impa did not respond. Zelda rolled over to her stomach and buried her face in her inadequately-stuffed pillow, sighing.

If only it _could_ be breached at once. But she was too much of a coward. She could only dream, and hold onto wishes.

* * *

><p>Link read the note, eyes flitting quickly over each word before he scribbled a hurried reply and passed the crinkled paper back to the hawk. Throwing his arm up, he lofted the bird into the air, watching it soar through the canopy and northward.<p>

"Damned inconvenient," he muttered irately.

_**What is it?**_

Annoyed, he continued walking through the woods. "Amy and the others are waiting for me at the rendezvous point," he replied. "They have been ordered to come after me if I don't show up."

_**Problematic**_.

"It is." Link nodded, hopping over a root. "But not unmanageable."

_**And what will you do?**_

"I'll meet up with them," he responded. "But it won't be for long. I don't plan on missing out on my appointment with Reth."

He wasn't certain where this King's Rise was – he'd certainly never heard of it – although if he was fortunate it wouldn't be too far from where he had to meet with his team.

Soon the trees became more sparse until they opened to a wide field. The southern field was covered by a light dusting of snow. All around him winter had spread its frigid essence to encompass all parts of the land. The sun shone overhead, already at work melting away the frost, futile though it was for it would return again come night.

Link scanned over the hills, eyes alighting on a figure not twenty yards away. Pursing his lips, he whistled three notes repeated twice in succession. The figure, a stout bay, lifted it's head and stared at him, chewing on some grass it had dug up under all the snow. Other than a flick of its tail it didn't react at all to him.

Link was not disheartened. She was a relatively young horse, he had just bought her a few days ago from a stable hand in Castle Town. He hadn't the time to actually train her, instead he'd figured he'd work her as they go.

As was a personal tradition of his, he had christened her Epona. She bore long limbs, with sturdy supple muscles and strong haunches. She was a tad too docile for a warhorse, but given some time he was certain she'd be able to live up to her predecessors.

Stepping forward he dug into his pack and withdrew a carrot, holding it aloft so it could easily be seen, he again whistled that same tune. Epona perked her ears, determining that it was better than half frozen grass, she trotted up to him and he let her snatch the carrot from his hand, petting her sleek red coat.

"Good girl, Epona." He said her name often, trying to get her used to it.

_At least_, he thought,_ she is tame_. Otherwise he'd have a devil of a time trying to break her in. At the moment there wasn't any time for that.

Lithely he swung into the saddle. He waited for her to finish chewing then kicked her into a canter then an all out run.

The rendezvous point was northwest, located near a canyon a few leagues south of Kakariko village and east of the burned down fortress he had infiltrated with his squad.

He wasn't at all surprised to find Amy, Aiden and Wist already there waiting for him. They would have finished their assignment far faster than him.

Amy with her keen eyes, spotted him first, flying across the field. She held up an arm and waved to him.

"Link!"

Link kicked Epona's sides to speed up for the last few miles and as he approached he tugged back on her rein's, slowing her down. He brought her around the small group then hopped off, holding onto the holster.

Amy's eyebrows rose, taking him in. "Where in Hyrule did you get that getup?"

He'd almost forgotten he was wearing his hero's outfit. They must not realize what it signified. "Later," Link replied. "Did you find anything?" Some very distinctly small part of him was hopeful, although he knew the most probable answer to that.

Their downcast expressions were all the confirmation he required and inwardly his heart panged with hurt.

"Sorry ol chap," said Wist, genuinely sympathetic.

In the beginning none of them knew much about the woman they were searching for, other than apparently she had a deep connection with both Link and Zellandus. Brula was all for keeping her identity hush until her spell could be completely broken, but Link didn't like the deceit - he had enough of that in his life - so had told them outright once they'd left the capital that Zelda was Zellandus' older sister and heir to the throne. Beyond that he didn't expand, having neither the energy nor the will for it. Perhaps someday he'd tell them. Sometime in the future when Hyrule was not counting on them to save her.

He massaged the back of his neck, trying not to show too much disappointment. "I didn't expect you to," he admitted.

Knowing Zelda she would not have left a single trace behind. If she didn't want to be found then it was assured that she wouldn't be.

"But," input Aiden on a slightly brighter note, "we did find this."

He took a parcel, wrapped in a white cloth, out of his bag and held it out for Link to take. Link took it and gingerly pulled back the cloth, revealing something that sent an icy chill down his spine. It was a white ceramic mask, curving inward at the jawline then pointing at the chin. It was marked with black swirling lines and contained two narrow fissures from which one could see out of. It vaguely resembled the likeness of a bird of prey.

"Hawk," Link murmured, heart thudding. He stared at the mask in minor awe. "Where did you find this?"

"In one of the rooms," Amy replied, understanding his shock, having recognized it as well. "There were five other copies of it, all the same. I thought it prudent that we show you."

Zelda was Hawk? Hawk was Zelda? So even before he had known about her, she'd been there. She'd been at his bedside the night after he had been introduced to the Sheikah. She had taken out those two assassins that time on the rooftops. It was she who had fought with him in the Augurer's fortress. That was why she had refused to speak; he might have recognized her voice. How had he not realized it? He hadn't even thought to probe for her Triforce; that would have instantly given her away.

He didn't know what he felt at this revelation. Disappointment…anger…gratitude?

"A clever sneak that Zelda," said Wist, cocking his head wryly. "It makes one wonder why would she go to all those lengths to stay away? What all could she be running from. It can't be the throne, can it? Does she not want to be Queen?"

Link furrowed his brows, his grasp on Epona's reigns tightening. "She's running from me…"

A tense silence fell upon them, only broken by the shuffling of their horses as they plodded the ground impatiently.

Aiden clicked his teeth. "Not so good with the ladies, are you."

"She and I," Link started with some hesitance, before closing off abruptly, "have a rough past…" Irately he brushed past them, tugging Epona along. "Come. We should make camp before darkness falls."

His ears picked up Wist's hushed words as he murmured to the others. "For one so young, our Captain does seem to be full of mysteries."

They fell in behind him, leading their horses as they proceeded to a cleft near the canyon. They made camp close to a wooden bridge that hung over the crevice right off the path to Kakariko village. Tents were pitched and a fire was started. Soon everyone was settling down for the night.

Link huddled outside by the fire, sitting on a patch of ground he had cleared of snow. He closed his eyes to gather some rest as he patiently waited for the rest of his squad to retire. After a while all who were left were him and Amy.

At last she stood, sending him a piecing look then went to bed. Link sighed and settled himself to doze. There was nothing to do now but wait. He didn't know what form his escort was supposed to take and he half worried that Reth wouldn't know where to find him, but that was allayed slightly knowing that Reth probably had spies to keep an eye on him. Laval had been twitchy all day, most likely observing the movements of their spy. He would alert him, however, if it were anything dangerous.

An hour passed then another and another. Link had drifted off when he was suddenly jerked awake by Laval's cry in his head.

_**Link! Above!**_

Something large then fell on his shoulder, long and coiled like a heavy rope. It hissed in his ear and Link jerked, grabbing the creature and hurling it away. The snake landed in a drift of snow, coils winding as it turned its head to hiss at him, dropping its jaw and barring two long curved fangs.

Link was instantly on his feet, sword drawn and shield up before he paused. Something wasn't right here. Snakes couldn't survive in the winter. They were cold-blooded, the low temperature would render them immobile, they hibernated all throughout winter.

As if confirming his thoughts that this was indeed out of the ordinary, the snake started floating upward until it was just below eye level. Seeming to gaze intently at Link, it slithered away through the air, heading toward the bridge.

Quickly, Link grabbed his pouch and fastened it at his waist. He darted to where Epona was snoozing and leapt on her back, jolting her into wakefulness. With a hard kick to her flanks he sent her running after the snake as she neighed in dim protest for the abrupt departure.

He had laced the others' food with sleeping powder so had little fear of them waking up and following him, but that didn't prevent him from wincing at the loud clattering of hooves against the hard ground as they soared away.

_**Fitting of Reth, although a rat would be more suited to him. A snake would befit Dasril better.**_

"Either way," said Link, blinking against the light downfall of snow, sights focused on the snake. "They're both vermin."

If he didn't know better, he'd have thought that Reth had meant for the snake to kill him before they could even begin their duel. It had literally fallen out of nowhere, its teeth had been so close to sinking into his neck before he had grabbed it. He could still feel the woosh of air as it had been about to strike.

Onward he rode for what seemed like hours, Epona panting beneath him, but unwilling to give in to exhaustion just yet. At last a tall mound appeared before him, with an outcropping of rocks at the summit. The formation of the rocks vaguely formed the shape of a crown, and he assumed that was where it got its name. The King's Rise.

The sun had just barely risen, marking the dawning hour. Reth had timed it perfectly.

Once he reached the base of the rise he halted Epona and jumped off, brushing a hand over her red coat soothingly. She panted and shuddered from exertion, her coat covered with a sleek layer of sweat. He'd let her rest for now, the remainder of the way could be travelled on foot.

Ahead of him the snake had paused, coiling in and around itself midair as it waited for him. Steeling himself, Link shot after it, coming up to a path that wound up the rise.

His breath came out in mists as he climbed, careful of any slippery sections and precarious ledges just in case Reth tried to attempt something underhanded again. It wasn't long before he reached the top and entered what could well have been an arena. Flat ground expanded before him, surrounded by the rocky crown formations. The snake floated idly in the center before suddenly disappearing.

Link tentatively moved forward, sword drawn as he looked about warily. There was a feeling of misery emanating from the area, it clung to the air, thick and heavy, he didn't even need to concentrate to sense that this was a haunted place. He was moderately surprised to find no poes lingering around.

_**Look beneath you.**_

Laval's voice resonated in his head and he did as bid. Looking down it was not clear at first what he was supposed to be seeing, but soon his eyes grasped what Laval had noticed. He was standing on a bare patch of ground, at the edge of a faded red circle, as if it had been painted then washed away by rain and snow. It then became apparent to him that there were more of these circles, in every area where the snow hadn't quite covered the ground he could see them, inter-lapping with one another.

He bent to take a closer look, only then noticing the markings within the circles.

"Glyphs?" he said, astonished.

_**Blood glyphs. See, they follow the lunar cycle. There's one for each month of the year. **_

Link drew a heavy breath. He was not as versed in magical theory as, say Zelda was, but he was no novice either. He knew what the presence of blood glyphs entailed.

"Rituals were performed here," he muttered shakily, "done with human sacrifices…"

He was taking it too harshly. It could have just as well been animal blood used to create the markings, or monster blood, but somehow he doubted that, especially if Reth frequented the place.

_**Be on your guard.**_

Link twirled his sword. "Yes. And you be ready."

If Reth had indeed prepared a trap for him then the best he could do was wing it. It had worked for him numerous times, not necessarily with the most desirable consequences, but he had confidence in his ability to improvise.

Slowly he walked forward, keeping watch out for the mad minister. Reth knew he was here - of that there was no doubt - he had just to show himself.

He reached the very center of the arena then paused, expecting something to happen as it always did in his previous adventures. However, there was no sign that anything was about to occur.

Testily, he swung down his sword. "Where is he?"

"Impatient as ever, I see."

All at once chains burst from beneath the snow, shooting towards him. Before Link could so much as raise his shield manacles clamped around his wrists and ankles and yanked them apart. He yelped as they pulled him taught. He struggled to move, arms tugging at the chains as they held them spread, his left hand trembled as it attempted to keep a tight grip on the Master Sword.

From above Reth appeared out of thin air, a wide grin of delight planted on his seemingly wholesome face. His orange eyes gleamed as they took in the sight of him.

"Oh, now this is a sight I wager many would pay to see," his voice rang with amusement as he tugged on a pair of black leather gloves. "I wonder how many of the enemies from your past have had you in such a predicament. How many times has the legendary hero walked mindlessly into one of their traps? Tut tut, one would think that after so many years of living that the hero would not be so gullible," he admonished.

Link scoffed, forcing himself to ignore the all too familiar feel of metal biting into his skin. "Don't be absurd. I knew what I was getting into. You immoral felons all think so much alike, it's laughable." And even though he stood there, legs anchored to the ground, arms stretched straight at his side, totally immobilized, he was able to summon a taunting smirk.

Reth blinked, taken aback by his seeming nonchalance. "Ah, forgive me then." He bowed lowly, eyes never breaking contact from Link's as they appeared to twinkle at him. "I hope to give the situation some semblance of originality then." He straightened then clapped his hands twice.

Link stiffened. The ground started to vibrate. A murmur rose, getting louder and louder until Link could discern it as the pattering of hundreds of small feet and the animalistic gutturals of many beastly voices. Then from the creases where the wall met ground something erupted from beneath the snow. More appeared all around him, uncovering the small crevices from which they had hidden within.

A rush of dread carried down his spine as he saw just what Reth had unleashed. Rats! Dozens of rats.

"You think I didn't know about that sword of yours?" Reth accused, chuckling with amusement as he floated idly. "That I was unaware of the power it holds, that I thought it just a fancy trinket. I know how dangerous it is, and in the hands of the hero very few stand a chance, so I wisely decided not to risk it."

He levitated leisurely downward, stopping a good twenty feet above the floor. "I mean to end this. With you out of the way a great deal of strife will be alleviated from my Lord Xerthos' shoulders."

Link currently wasn't listening to Reth, too focused on the horde of rats, scrambling over each other to get at him. Bound and helpless, he was easy prey. He could see them salivating with want to tear into him. He'd be overcome. With all of them attacking at once he'd be reduced to bones in mere minutes.

Or…perhaps not.

"You fear the Master Sword," said Link loudly, attempting to keep the excitement from showing in his voice. "Then be prepared to face it!"

A rat, larger than the rest, but still thin and starved, took the lead and leapt at him, teeth showing as it struck.

That is when Laval rose up. Link's shadow swelled, then stretched in the air behind him, taking form. He only saw the massive claws as they tore apart his shackles before Laval once again faded into his silhouette. Link spun, clenching his fist firmly around the Master Sword, and rendered the rat apart, the sound of tearing flesh prevalent in the air.

Reth stared wide-eyed, his hand brought up automatically in defense. "The Sheikah? You've been designated a Sheikah guardian!" he exclaimed with a tremor.

The death of the first rat did nothing to deter the others. They came at him all at once, ready to bite and tear. Link held his sword back then executed a spin attack, killing a vast number of them at once. Still they kept on coming.

Throughout it all Link kept an eye on Reth, growing irritated at his constant distance. If only he couldn't fly. Was there some way to clip that power from him?

Reth snarled maliciously. "Damn you bothersome pest!" Thrusting his arms out, finger's curled into claws pointing upward, he raised his hands in one jerking motion. "You will not leave here alive!"

The ground rumbled once more but this time it was not with the constant thrum that the rats had elicited. It was more haphazard, as if the floor was being torn and parted. Link's heart began palpitating as he realized what this meant. The rats too appeared to anticipate what was happening as they fidgeted and halted their advance.

Suddenly a great darkness blocked out the sun. Link looked up to see that Reth was pulling the light from the area, laughing madly as he did so.

_**Link, you must flee!**_

Then it happened. Hands shot from the ground, clawing forth and pulling out limber bodies swathed in pieces of flesh and bandages. At the first sight of the redeads, the rats scurried back into their holes, squeaking in terror.

Link tensed and looked around, a shudder passing through him. "Where to…?"

He was surrounded.

* * *

><p>They had left early that morning, traveling southward, skirting around Kakariko to reach the location that Dasril had marked on their map.<p>

A thorough investigation would require a good few hours. With luck they'd have all they require and be back on the mountain by noon. Their destination was not too far, no more than a two hour hike, according to Dasril, although that didn't stop him from grumbling most of the way.

When their destination finally came into view as they passed a turn in the terrain Zelda stumbled and Dasril was quick to catch her arm, steadying her.

"Zelda?" he prompted.

But she was too focused on what was before her to pay attention to him, or to pay mind that he was still touching her.

"Blackhurst Castle? You're taking us to Blackhurst Castle," she exclaimed, both shocked and repelled.

Quickly she recovered and abruptly pulled away from him. She carried on across the moor, form tense and thoughts raging within her. This was one place she had always sought to avoid when on her travels. How ironic that it would be used as a base for the enemy.

Dasril looked down at her then back up, brows furrowing. "That's… a castle?"

Indeed, it looked like naught but a steep hill with jutting rocks, but Zelda knew better. "Buried beneath it lies a castle," she explained. "House Blackhurst was once formidable and powerful, but they were inflicted with a terrible madness inherited with each new generation. It was in my fourth rebirth that they were most prevalent among society, and it was then that their line was completely eradicated. It had been known that Lady Blackhurst was suffering from that same crazed illness as her ancestors had been, so she'd been kept locked away as her son watched over her. Everyone had thought that her son had escaped the illness, he was the most sensible and calm Blackhurst there had been in ages, but in the end he too was afflicted. Because of him the castle is as it is now. Whether he thought in this way he could keep society away from his family, or this was his maddened way to protect the world from his line is uncertain. He used his magic to encase it in earth and stone, and with it everyone within. None had survived."

"Ah, madness," said Dasril, flicking a trace of snow off his surcoat. "Caused by inbreeding most of the time, isn't it?"

She stopped and turned to look at him. Dasril shifted under her stare.

"Yes," she replied, and continued her walk. "The Blackhursts were my cousins."

"Oh."

She omitted the fact that the King at that time had been afflicted as well, and because of that he had granted Ganondorf the opening to make his move. The only advantage to that was that it had prevented her from later marrying Lady Blackhurst's son, who her father had arranged her to wed back when such a thing was not so looked down upon. The young Lord Blackhurst had then gone crazy and dealt his own death, eliminating any future prospect of a union between them, and she had been free to be with Link.

"The King's Rise, they call it now," said Dasril. "Lord Xerthos comes here quite often."

Zelda frowned. "I don't suppose he comes to pay his respects."

Dasril tensed his shoulders. "He's more in the habit of desecrating…"

They neared the rise and soon arrived at its base, but there was nowhere to go from there. The walls were too steep to climb and it would be bothersome for them both to be carried by her longshot.

"Come," said Dasril. indicating her to follow. "There should be a path over this-"

His words were abruptly halted as suddenly a massive surge of power ran over them. Zelda stiffened, sensing the dark magic. She shot her head up as suddenly the sky was consumed by a mass of swirling darkness as if a great black cloud had grown over the rise.

"Reth," Dasril hissed in surprise, identifying the magic.

And where there was the mad minister there was a high possibility that his master was not far behind. Dasril had said Xerthos had used this rise as a grounds for his rituals. Were they undergoing a ritual at this very moment?

She made to dash forward but was caught by Dasril's firm grip on her arm.

"What are you doing?" he shot at her. "Do you honestly think you can face off Reth in your condition? And if Lord Xerthos is there-"

"What did you think I had planned when I finally did catch up to them," she hissed in reply, scowling at him. She tugged her arm forcefully but Dasril was not inclined to let go.

"Xerthos bears the force of a demon! And Reth just as well may be one himself," he retorted. "You can't win against them. As you are, you are no match for them."

She desisted her struggling and glared at him with hard cold eyes. His gaze remained just as firm, but carried a pleading expression in them that made his eyes appear less harsh.

"You forget," she iterated smoothly, "that I have Impa with me. And you, if you are willing to fight. And the power of the Triforce."

His brows furrowed. "That may not be enough. You are being impulsive and foolish. If I had had any idea that you had intended on facing them head on I would have never led you here."

She stilled. Impulsive and foolish, how ill those terms fitted her. They were more appropriately used when defining Link, and had often been uttered by her whenever he did something brash.

Suddenly her ears pricked as they detected a new sound. The murmuring of voices and the shuffle of footsteps. It appeared that they were not alone.

"Dasril," she whispered head turning towards the sound.

He nodded and slowly led her back against a crag. "Right."

They subtly withdrew their weapons, lurking in shadows as they waited for whoever it was to show themselves. The moment Zelda saw the slight form of a man enter her vision she struck. Whirling around, grasping her sword tightly, she slammed the pommel in his stomach, causing him to bend over gasping. She tensed as she sighted two others with him. One of them swore vilely and they immediately drew their swords and attacked.

Zelda ducked a lunge from the first and parried an oncoming strike from the second, sword ringing in her hand as it clashed.

Dasril was right there with her fighting off the one she had hit with her hilt while the two others were attempting to double-team her. She ducked one sword as it veered over her head, then dodged and swiped away the other.

From Dasril's end there was a thump and a groan before the man he was fighting abruptly gasped. "Lord Foulkes!"

The fight seemed to pause and Zelda twisted around, sword still trained on her opponents, to see Dasril holding his adversary against the rock wall, the edge of his sword at his throat. He blinked then at once lowered his sword and backed away.

"Lord Perth?" said Dasril in surprise. He looked around at the other two. "Lady Delage, Mr. Rivers?"

Zelda brought her sword down, recognizing the names. The first two were part of the Hyrulean court. But why were they way out here?

"Lord Foulkes," said Wist with exuberance, sheathing his blade. "A nation wide search has been issued for you, you've been missing for over a month! Where in Hyrule have you been?"

Zelda and Dasril tensed as another shot of magic spiked through the air, a most repulsive feeling. It reminded her of her initial objective. Zelda was about to shoot up the path but Dasril immediately blocked her way.

"Don't you even dare, Zelda!"

"Zelda?" said Amy, looking over to the other woman. "Your name's Zelda?"

Zelda glared at Dasril then looked dispassionately over at Amy as if to ask 'what of it?'

"This is too much of a good coincidence," spoke the last man, who Zelda only knew as Rivers. "We've been running around for a week trying to find you. This will cheer Link up immensely, he looked so disappointed when we brought back news that we couldn't find you."

Both she and Dasril snapped their head up.

"Link is here?" she asked breathlessly, heart rate speeding up at an almost unbearable pace.

"Well, we assume so," continued Rivers, having not noticed her tense reaction. "We followed his tracks, and his horse is here." He scoffed and crossed his arms. "Idiot thought he could sneak away during the middle of the night without us knowing. He thought he could induce us into a deep sleep by spiking our food with sleeping powder. Hah, we're not that clueless. Saw that he was up to something the moment we met up with him, he was acting far too somber and weird."

Zelda felt as if her body had frozen over, something inside her wrenched at this newfound knowledge. If Link was here then that could only mean… He must already be at the top fighting off Reth and anyone else he had brought with him.

Her heart was torn by two paths; to leave and trust that Link could face this on his own, or to go to him. But was she ready to see him again? Could she take the heartache that came whenever her eyes alighted on his face?

She had to. She couldn't risk leaving him when he could be in danger. She had to make sure he was alright.

"Zelda?" prodded Dasril tepidly, unmoving as he stood directly in the path.

"I'm sorry, Dasril," she spoke quietly, before flinging a bolt of light magic in his direction.

* * *

><p>Link cried out in pain as clawed hands dug into his calf. He could feel the power of the blue ring acting up in order to defend him, but it bloody still hurt. Swiftly he sliced off the hand that gripped him and then dodged away as another redead leapt to grasp at him.<p>

All around him were screams and groans, they sent shivers down his spine, it was enough to force him to pause every other minute. Had he not been used to their shrieks he'd have been long dead by now. He had tried heading back toward the pass but a stone slab had been elevated from beneath the ground and secured in place, blocking any attempt at escape. He was locked in with the redeads, and the more he killed the more rose up from beneath the soil as if there was an unending supply. How much death had this place seen?

Reth cackled amusedly overhead, watching with glee and occasionally sending out a flurry of shards for him to dodge in addition to keeping away from the redeads' deadly embrace.

Laval leapt in and out of his shadow. He watched for Link's blind spots, attacking any redead that came too close with his dragon-like talons.

Link jolted as another scream pierced his ears, causing him to momentarily falter. He dropped into a roll and got out of the way before another redead could take a jab at him.

Shooting up, he swerved around, letting loose a spin attack. It eliminated the few redeads in the area, but more were there steadily dragging their feet towards him.

He grit his teeth in consideration. "I might just have to draw on the Triforce if this keeps up," he said panting.

Laval was quick to object.

_**No! You know the consequences of that! Reth's plan is to weaken you then he will strike. By using Courage you would only advance his plan. He will not go near you while you have Courage activated but when he see's how the after effects leave you helpless he will not hesitate to take advantage of it.**_

Link felt a thin trail of sweat slither down his brow and wiped it away with the back of his hand. "Then the only other option is to hold out until the end," he chaffed. Hopefully by then he could pretend that the battle had taken little out of him and Reth would be disinclined to attack, believing that Link still had energy to take him on.

His lips pressed together, thinning. He was determined to make it through this. He had advanced far from where he had been on his birthday. His stamina had improved drastically, his body had learned and become adapted to all his fighting strategies. He wasn't quite at the point that was optimal for him but he was close enough.

He had to admit though, even at his prime his body was still Hylian, he was still subject to mistakes and he could become overwhelmed. He was not the invincible force the legends made him out to be, and he was being proven that clearly now. Redeads had always been his least favorite monsters.

"Damn you Sheikah for creating such foul creatures," Link snarled, hacking into another redead and slicing open its chest cavity.

_**They were never meant for such foul purposes. **_

"Only to kill any who entered your vile temple," hissed Link. He spun and chambered a kick at a redead who had come in from the side, at the same time swinging his arm around to lop off its head. He could feel Laval dart out of his shadow as his claws tore into another behind him.

Suddenly there was a rumbling like a storm on the verge of breaking out. From above, something bright shot toward the cloud of darkness and slowly began to eat away at it.

Link raised his head and saw her standing on the crown of the arena. Zelda's eyes blazed, light blue cloak billowed in the wind, her hand held out as a torrent of light magic streamed from it. Hovering beside her stood the contemptible Lord Dasril. Magic pooled from him too, but these were bursts of fire he used to shoot down at the redeads. They erupted into flame, their bandages and rotting flesh easily fuelling the fire.

Link found himself incapable of doing anything but staring at her, heart pounding madly within his chest.

He was abruptly brought to focus by a hard body slamming into his. The redead clamped its arms and legs around him, securing him in place. It then worked to squeeze the life out of him.

Shit! He'd let his guard down. Of all the foolish things to do-

Another redead came at him, this one wielding a thick heavy sword that it dragged behind it. Link struggled madly, curses spewing from his mouth. Before the redead could make it to him Laval emerged and took care of it, then slashed at the one holding him immobile.

Link staggered free, taking a moment to catch his breath as he re-inflated his lungs. "Thank you."

_**Stay cautious, hero.**_

He nodded, and his efforts renewed. Zelda was here and she was taking care of that blasted darkness. If he could hold out long enough then the sun would take care of the rest.

"Hey! Boy with a rough past!"

His head snapped around to see Amy, Wist and Aiden battling their way through the throng of redeads, Aiden with a look of utter repulse on his face. Amy shoved forward and sliced apart a redead as it was about to scream.

She faced Link, a contemptuous scowl on her face. "Where do you get off on leaving us like that? We're you're squad. You don't just abandon us like you don't need us."

Link was about to snap a snarky retort when one of the redeads screamed. Amy's eyes widened perceptibly as she froze in place, unable to move or do anything. Link winced at the sound and quickly dealt with the redead before it could reach her.

Amy shuddered as the effects wore off and massaged her head. "Do you have a trick for that? It seems they don't have any effect on you."

Link grunted as he dove beneath an oncoming swipe then spun around, stabbing the beast in the back. "Just keep your distance from them. Attack and dart."

Amy took his advice and it was quickly picked up by the others, all of them issuing quick strikes before backing away. When one of them did get hit by the scream another was soon there to defend until they recovered.

Soon though those screams turned into moans. Light began streaming through, touching the ground and burning the redeads. They howled in anguish, some clawing back into the ground, burrowing into the soothing darkness. As the black cloud vanished entirely the rest of the redeads burned under the heat of the sun.

Link looked up to find Zelda, only to witness her being attacked by Reth as Dasril defended her. Once all the darkness had gone, she turned to lend her assistance against the mad minister.

Link's tensed as a blast from Reth sent Zelda tumbling over the side into the arena. She twisted in midair and flared her cloak, safely gliding to the ground. That cloak… Of course, it was Hawk's, it granted her some sort of ability to fly. In that moment he was grateful that she had it.

Dasril then threw himself over the side and clung to the wall as he slid down the slope, joining Zelda at the bottom. Link ran for them, determined to protect her against Reth.

Reth hovered above, as always, he kept a good space of distance away, enough so that he was out of range of most of their attacks and could easily dodge should they try to shoot him down.

"My my, I hadn't anticipated you being here," said Reth to Zelda, bearing a sharkish grin. "How have you been? Well, I hope."

Zelda glared up at him. "I'll be even better once I have your head on a platter!" she shot, withdrawing her sword.

Reth's grin broadened. "Now that is the type of speech I like to hear. Didn't like my taunting did you. Let it not be said that I ever forgo pleasantries." His orange blazing eyes then snapped to Dasril. "Although I'll not extend the same courtesy to you, traitorous cad." He swept his arms out and shot a round of shards at him.

Zelda swiftly erected a shield and the shards burst to dust on contact.

Dasril then countered with a jolt of flame. "You wound me."

Reth zapped out of the way of the oncoming heat and laughed. "Is that sarcasm I hear? From you? Oh, what a rarity this is. Let us see if you have any more witty comments after this." Reth snapped his fingers.

Appearing out of nowhere were a horde of piggish monsters. They towered over them, bearing spears and maces and swords of burnished steel. Link came to an abrupt halt as one manifested directly in front of him. He did not hesitate to leap up and slash at its throat. It roared and gurgled before falling over dead.

Without breaking stride, Link vaulted on its back and sprung off.

Zelda stood back to back with Dasril as she fought, sword clanging against that of a moblin's. Reth was once again watching it all play out in amusement. From somewhere behind him he could detect the sounds of his squad fighting off more of the beasts.

Link cursed as he was forced to face another moblin as it bared his way. He grit his teeth together and plowed his Master Sword into its side. It dented the beast's armor, misshaping it and causing it to dig into the moblin's flank. He deduced that one more hit would shear it open. Goddesses, but he did love this weapon. Any other sword would have recoiled off of the armor plates.

"Dasril, go after Reth!" Zelda ordered. "Frankly I'm not up to fighting him, but moblins I can deal with."

"I can't leave you on your own!" Dasril hissed out.

Link caught the moblin's next strike with his shield and stabbed it in the dented spot, piercing through metal and flesh. A hollow moan came from the moblin before it fell to its knees and dissipated into smoke.

Attracted by the sound, Dasril and Zelda turned toward him, the latter's eyes widening in mute surprise.

"She's not alone," he said resolutely, stepping forward. His eyes bore into Zelda's and for a second he thought he caught a waver of indecision within her depths before she looked away, focused on the surge of moblins before her.

Dasril growled. "Fine." He dashed off into the fray, dodging past the moblins as they all tried to swipe at him.

Link at once took Dasril's place at her side and bared his sword threateningly at the approaching moblins. His muscles bunched and coiled then he struck.

He wove around his opponents, aiming for their weak spots, the neck, joints in the armor, and faces. He kept an eye on Zelda as she fought. Her technique was stiffer than he remembered, with little of the fluidity he had witnessed in their previous lives. She slashed and hacked inelegantly, occasionally releasing a beam of light when an opening presented itself.

At least she was holding her own.

"Zelda," he called out while bringing up his shield to deflect an oncoming strike. "When this is over we need to talk."

He pushed the moblin back – an astounding feat given its size – and the moblin stumbled as it tried to regain its balance. Link swiftly withdrew a bomb from his pouch, the fuse lighting on touch, he hurled it at the moblin. It detonated, killing the beast instantly and rendering it to a cloud of smoke.

"There's nothing to say," said Zelda, panting as she jabbed her sword through her opponent's stomach then whipped it out, stained with blood. She wielded it two-handed now.

Link angrily slashed another throat open. "Yes there is! You're just being stubborn!"

He would make sure that they talked and if he had to go through the same thing he did in the Lost Woods then so be it. He would rather have her hatred than this total apathy.

Slowly their efforts were yielding results. The slew of moblins was dwindling. He could see the end in sight, and then there was Reth. If Dasril couldn't finish him off then all the better. He'd do it himself.

"Why must you keep on running? Why can't you just talk to me?" he admonished, voice displaying his hurt.

Zelda paused in her swipe, gasping for air. "I…"

Link reacted as the moblin she'd been fighting raised its club. He flung himself at her, pushing them both to the ground and saving her from having her head crushed. Zelda froze beneath him and he pushed up on his arms, looming over her.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Her clear blue eyes widened before she looked past him and grasped him around the shoulders, rolling them to the side. The ground shook, and where they'd been lying a huge dent had formed as the moblin smashed its club into the floor.

Link's eyes shone with gratitude as they shot to their feet. She refused to look at him, intent on the enemy before her.

Slowly he was breaking down her resolve. Perhaps there was hope for him yet!

* * *

><p>Dasril anticipated the attack from behind and sent his fire dragon to melt away Reth's shards. He spun around only to see Reth vanishing as he once again teleported to a different location.<p>

"Like back in the academy, eh?" Reth intoned loudly from atop one of the giant rocky juts of stone. "It appears after all this time we are still no match for each other."

Dasril frowned. He was right. Reth specified in evasion while his attacks were made powerful by force. He could nullify almost anything Reth threw at him, while Reth simply dodged his attacks.

The fight had been going on for a while, he no longer needed to heat his body by magical means, the exercise did it for him. Sweat beaded his brow, his hair was in disarray even within the confines of its thong. But he was still good to go for another few hours, his mana hadn't even halfway depleted yet. But as it was both he and Reth would be wasting their time on each other, neither able to gain the upper hand.

He held out his arm and winced, his bicep still smarting from where Zelda had struck it with a jolt of light. She had been ready to fight him to get to Link, and that was what had made him back down. If Link died there'd be no living for her. How ironic that they cared so much for each other yet all at a distance.

He shot a whorl of flame down his arm. Luckily it wasn't so bad a wound that it would distract him. It only caused minor discomfort.

"I think perhaps a change of strategy is in order," said Reth, eyeing Dasril's enflamed arm keenly.

"What?"

Reth laughed. "Oh, I'm not going to tell you about it and give it away. But you'll see."

He faded out as Dasril's burst of fire scorched the air where he'd last been.

Dasril spun around, searching him out. What did he mean by new stategy?

And then he spotted him. Manifesting out of the shadows from behind her, Reth took aim and targeted his shards at Zelda.

He lost his breath. Then breathed in to shout at her. "Zelda! Behind you!"

She kicked away the body of the moblin she'd just killed then whirled around, sword raised.

Reth made to attack but it never came. He stood frozen in the air, eyes bulging from shock. Slowly he floated to the ground. At first Dasril was confused, but then he saw it, the shadow that hung onto Reth's form, clinging to his back and seeming to seep partway through his body.

Impa? But no, he could see her thickening Zelda's shadow, having not departed from it. But then who? Or what?

Zelda seized the opportunity and thrust her sword through Reth's chest. Reth gaped and shuddered, looking down in disbelief at the metal protruding from his breast. It a cruel movement, Zelda twisted it and slid it out in a fast motion, causing Reth to cry out.

The shadow then released him, hovering in the shade and revealing itself to be a poe.

Reth coughed out a wad of blood, blinking blearily. Using the last of his strength, he teleported away.

Zelda stared long at the poe, before the poe took the form of a young man and vanished.

It was not hard for Dasril to deduce that the poe had been the young Lord Blackhurst, or at least that was his guess.

With the defeat of Reth and the slaying of the last of the few moblins there remained only the six of them now and the two Sheikah. The walls that Reth had summoned to block out the exits crumbled apart, leaving numerous gaps between each peak of the crown.

Lord Perth, Lady Delage and Rivers looked on curiously as Link and Zelda at last faced one another, not understanding the enormity of the situation.

Dasril tensed.

Oh dear. Zelda must have anticipated this.

It would be best if he left to return back to Death Mountain. He'd wait for her there. He'd only get in the way if he remained… and he didn't want to see this.

With a flourish of his cloak he turned on his heels and walked away.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Okay, really fast paced. Lotsa stuff about Zelda and Link's past too, I always did like coming up with little side stories ^^. Sorry about the cliffhanger. I anticipate the next chapter is going to be really long though. **

**Forget all I said about this story being halfway, almost or even near to finishing, I give up trying to figure it out. My guestimate would be that it will total around 60 chapters, but don't put too much stock in that. I'm just going to keep on writing until the whole story's out. **

**Reader314: I should draw a map or something, lol. I guess for now imagine it as the TP map. It more closely resembles that.**

**Twokeyz: Honestly, I don't think anyone would be able to bear it if there wasn't a happy ending to this thing. I don't know if this counts as a spoiler or not, (A maybe spoiler alert!) but although it started out as one I don't intend to end this as a tragedy. None of my stories will ever end as tragedies. ^^**

**Cameron: Rest assured, there'll be no more hanky-panky between Dasril and Zelda ever again. Never ever ever! ****Hmm, an apparition of Link appearing to Zelda, hmm. Gotta think more on that one. If it's to happen, it won't be soon.**

**Thanks for reading everybody! And have a happy new year!**


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Okay, I was supposed to update 'Villainous' before this, because I'm alternating, but I just had to post this next chapter. For those who are reading 'Villainous' as well, I'm so sorry ^^'**

**I received a lovely pm recently asking me a question and I feel I should just say this to all of you. If you want to create fanart of my story, the answer is YES! Go ahead! I'd love you forever if you did ^^! Just send me a link so I can see it.**

**Thank you for your reviews: Finvarra Faerie, Wolf, Schniedragon88, Reader314, Death Waltz, ObscurityProject, tetraforce theory, Bloodspire, elf warrior knight, A True NaZaMi Fan, sincerely lola, 11lol11, Random Rockets, Astercia, FallenAngel2298, Ancient . tree, fiarill2, TragicMagic14, DarknessFathom, Generala, PrincessPeach, and Prometheus17. **

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 27<strong>

It had been over ninety years since he'd properly seen her last. He recalled the feel of her damaged body in his arms, the soft whisper of her voice, the scent of her blood, the despair that surrounded them as death hovered around every corner. That had been the last time he'd ever held her so lovingly, he only regretted that she had been denied such affection for so long beforehand.

They'd both been fools, proud and tenacious. And maybe they did tire of each other once in a while, but more so they yearned for each other, especially after those tiring moments.

They had once lived for each other. Their love had been deep and passionate. How could they have forgotten? With each new life their memories returned, but each time the memories from before became more faded, they'd be pushed further into the backs of their minds. All those lives with so many recollections, it was a lot to hold onto. They'd forgotten just why they had lived for each other. But that was just an excuse. Even then those loving memories had shone the brightest in their minds. During the phase that he'd been avoiding her it was those memories that had haunted him the most.

They had been fools in love, seeking a brief moment of selfishness in their ever-tedious lives. Look at what that had cost them. Never again…

She stood before him now, expression wary, a curled hand held up before her breast. She looked gaunt and faded, but it was better than she had been before when they'd first gotten to her after her ordeal.

He felt a strong force stir in his heart, his love burning through his core. A soothing breeze wound its way through the peaks of the crown, rustling his hair and cloak.

He closed his eyes, overcome with a sense of calm. She was alive. She was here. This was not a fake, he would not harm her, not physically nor mentally. Never again.

At last he opened his eyes, ready to face her wrath and her spite, her tears and her anguish, her apathy, whatever she had to offer.

Instead he was met with severe disappointment. During those brief seconds that his eyes had closed Zelda had taken the opportunity to flee. Again! He saw the flare of her cloak as she dashed through one of the gaps between two peaks and jumped off.

"Hey!" Aiden exclaimed, shocked.

He stood rigid as Wist and Aiden careened past him, stopping at the ledge and peering down at her dwindling figure soaring far away in her cowardly act. Link felt no need to mimic them.

_Why bother_, he thought bitterly. If this were anyone else he'd say to hell with it! He'd say damn her, he was through with chasing her and having his hopes dashed. But this was Zelda, and despite his broiling anger, he knew she had a right to run. A part of him knew that he didn't deserve it easy. If he wanted to truly prove himself to her then he wouldn't stop, he'd work for her love back, even if it meant following her across the globe.

"Well, that blows," breathed Aiden, exasperatedly running a hand through his hair. "If we hurry we could catch her. She's on foot, and we have horses."

Link stolidly turned around, shoving the Master Sword into its sheath. "Leave her. Let her have her head start."

Wist walked up to him, frowning. "It's snowing again. We'll lose her tracks if we wait too long."

Link marched angrily past him to the pass that would lead him down the rise. He didn't slow down as the others caught up to him. He didn't even spare them a glance, so focused was he that his vision tunneled and he only saw the way before him, nothing peripheral.

He would allow her to think that she had gotten away. Wait a good hour or two, enough time for her to get to where she was going, then he'd come after her. As was common knowledge, in order to catch a keaton one had to corner it. He'd allow her no escape routes this time.

"Wait a minute," said Amy, halting her stride and turning to look around.

Aiden and Wist stopped as well, but Link kept on going.

"What is it?" asked Wist, glancing at her over his shoulder.

Amy furrowed her brows consideringly, appearing perplexed. "Minister Foulkes is gone."

Link's shoulders stiffened. Instantly he quickened his pace to a brisk jog.

Forget waiting, he was going after her as soon as he got to his horse. That bastard had probably rejoined with Zelda by now. During their battle he had overlooked the matter of Dasril. For some reason Zelda held some sort of misplaced trust in him. He for one was less forgiving. Dasril was a traitor and by his account all traitors deserved death. That at least was one law that hadn't changed over the centuries.

Exiting the path Link strode up to where Epona stood pressed against the other horses, head bowed as she took a much-earned rest. Her ears flicked at the sight of him as he grabbed her holster. He patted her gently.

"Epona," he greeted.

_Sorry girl_, he thought quietly to himself, swinging up on the saddle. He'd let her sleep for longer later.

"Now I'm confused," groaned Aiden, going for his own horse. "Why is Lord Foulkes with the Princess?"

"The question is," said Amy, sticking a foot into the stirrup and hitching a leg over her stallion's back. "What are they doing? If Lord Foulkes knows who she is you'd think he'd bring her back to the castle."

"I bet he does know, and for some reason neither are willing to return," said Wist curiously, looking over to Link. "This extends beyond this 'rough past' you two have, doesn't it."

Link brought Epona around, directing her northward. "Let's just say the wellbeing of Hyrule is at stake. Dasril is needed for the sensitive information he possesses and Zelda, well, it's obvious why Hyrule needs her." He skimmed his eyes over them, taking in the various wounds they've sustained, thankfully nothing too serious. "Are you all good to ride?"

His squad exchanged mocking glances with each other before Amy scoffed. "Please. Give us sleet, rain and broken bones and we'd still be able to ride."

He flashed a smile and fixed his hat on tight. Something suddenly flickered fleetingly in his periphery. He shot his eyes up once more to the rise and was surprised to see a poe hovering in the shadows of one of the gaps, the same poe from before... and like before it took the form of someone he recognized. Lord Timothy Blackhurst.

His eyes narrowed curiously. So that was Blackhurst Hall.

He hadn't been well acquainted with either Lady Blackhurst or her son, they'd been part of Zelda's journey a few lifetimes ago, but he knew their history. About the illness that corrupted their family, the greed and lack of morality. Timothy had been the only exception until Ganondorf had had him tainted. He had been one boss that Zelda had insisted she fight alone, hoping to heal him. In the end it was discovered that death was the only cure, and he'd begged for it. Zelda hadn't been able to do it, and in a fit of mad-induced rage Timothy had sealed away the castle, killing himself and all the staff who had been locked inside. Zelda had barely escaped in time and even then she had suspected that it was because of some form of restraint on the young Lord Blackhurst's part, that small part of him that was sane looking out for her. In a way, he reminded Link of Dasril.

Zelda had been distraught when she'd told him the story. Although she had held no endearing feelings for the Lord, he had still been at one point her fiancé.

The poe gave a short wave then vanished. Link was left blinking.

A horse trotted up to him, Amy sitting astride in the saddle. "Link, what is it?" She angled her head upward to find what he was looking at.

"Nothing…" he replied, still staring at that spot. Finally he shifted his gaze away. "Let's go."

With a great "Heyah!" he kicked Epona's flanks and she reared then shot forward.

Whisps of snow kicked up as they thundered over the moor, eyes squinting against the harsh gales and the icy flurry pelting their faces. Zelda had flown far with her cape before her tracks could be found. She had landed on an outcrop a good distance away from the rise, her tracks showing that she had stumbled before picking herself up and speeding along the frozen ground.

They stopped and Link scrutinized the area, seeing if her footprints intermingled with a second pair. It didn't seem as if Dasril had been this way.

"Wow, do you see the length of these strides," said Aiden, hopping off his horse and bending down to closer observe the trail. "She must be one fast runner. I'd hate to ever be in a race with her."

"It's her cloak, I think," said Link absently, his mind picturing the vivid form of her fake, and remembering that time on the rooftops. "It gives her some inhuman advantages. One of them I suspect is speed."

"Hope she's not as fast as a horse at least," said Amy, patting the neck of her steed.

Link frowned. "We're not trying to catch up to her yet."

How ridiculous that must have sounded to them. He was effectively banking on a strategy that he didn't know would work or not.

Wist sniffed, his nose turning red from the cold, and gave him a look of utter disbelief. "Why ever not. She's practically within our grasps."

How he hated talking about her as if she were prey. But then she had instigated this game of chase and so he would hunt her.

"We let her reach her destination," he explained. "We let her lower her guard then move in."

"And how, if we lag behind, are we supposed to find this destination once her tracks are covered?" said Wist, bringing up a good point. The snow had started falling harder, already her footprints were half concealed.

Link prodded Epona forward. "I know where she's going."

"Oooh, how cryptic," muttered Amy, excitedly. Her cheeks were flushed a bright rose, black curling hair loose and slightly frizzed from the falling snow. She sported a couple of nasty looking scratch marks on her left cheek, courtesy of a redead, although they were shallow, and she didn't seem to notice at all.

She, as well as Aiden and Wist, he discovered, thrived on action, despite what dangers may await them. They were strong willed, they didn't falter upon witnessing violence and gore. It was people like them that he admired, those who would put up with all the worldly terrors in order to do what was needed. They fit well with him.

What sort of missions had they been on before he had arrived, that they didn't faint in the face of redeads? Or rather, what sort of training had Brula put them through?

He smirked. Nothing pleasant, he imagined.

He waited for Aiden to remount his steed, before once again kicking Epona into a run.

* * *

><p><em>This really brings me back<em>, Link mused. _Brings me back eight lifetimes_.

Indeed, as he stood staring up at the enormous mountain that the Gorons called home, he recalled every other time he had endured the exhausting climb, dodging boulders at times, or rolling Gorons whenever Hyrule had hostile relations with them. However, he could safely assume that since Zelda was at the top they were in relatively good standings with the Gorons at present.

There were only a few safe paths up the mountain, and at each a Goron stood sentinel. It was easy to sneak past, the dark color of his cloak helping him to blend into the shadows of twilight. From there he only had to watch out for the occasional Goron lingering out on the slopes. They did not fear the darkness as many did. There weren't many animals that could harm them, only a dragon could pierce their thick hides, and poes were completely ineffective.

As the terrain leveled out a bit, Link leaned back on the face of the mountain to take a moment to catch his breath. Looking down he saw that he was only halfway up the mountain. Still a long way to go.

Once they'd reached Kakariko they had taken up residence at Joachim's place, just like before when they had rescued the duke. Joachim had been welcoming, exclaiming how things had quieted down ever since they'd chased the Augurer and his bulblins away. They had used the rest of the day to keep watch around the various paths up the mountain making sure that Zelda didn't decide to leave early. Link had ordered the rest of his squad to stay behind as he ventured up the mountain alone. He had set out in the early evening, hoping to make it to the top before full darkness fell.

The others hadn't been too accepting of his decision to go out on his own, but he had given a direct order this time and hopefully they obeyed it and were not secretly following him. At any rate, they would have slowed him down if they'd all come with him, and he was nearly there.

Almost, he kept telling himself. Almost.

Encroaching the top some time later, the mountain became flat and safe enough for him to wander off the path and head to the village using a different route. Gorons didn't require as much sleep as Hylians or Zoras did, able to go for days without rest, and many were wandering the grounds below. He snuck along a ledge of stone at a higher elevation. It was a good thing the Gorons never thought to look up, too used to looking down at everything, otherwise they would have spotted him for sure.

As it was, Link slowly, so as to lessen the crunch of his boots against the snow, crept along the edge to a hollow in the stone wall. Carefully he jumped down and dashed inside before anyone noticed.

Inside was musky and warm, steam from both forges and hot springs rising through the passageways and creating an almost heady atmosphere. He inched along at the end of the hall and peered around the first corner, ensuring that there was no one nearby. He didn't think the Gorons would take lightly to a stranger in their midst, but he couldn't risk announcing himself lest they tell Zelda.

At least, he could presume, that this was safer than sneaking around in the Gerudo Fortress. Although, they too had a bad habit of not looking up.

As Link moved from room to room he mentally compared the layout to past versions he remembered, trying to determine the location of the guest rooms. It didn't take him long to discover that he was thoroughly lost. Dear Farore! Why did everything have to always change so much?

It was apparent that wandering aimlessly would only get him caught. Settling in an alcove, concealed from sight, he called on Laval.

_**Having difficulties, Link?**_

"You snide little-" Link growled before addressing the task at hand. "Can you find Zelda?"

_**That I can.**_

With that, Link felt that strange lightening feeling as Laval left his shadow to zoom along the darkened ceiling. Link waited anxiously, fisting his hands and at times holding his breath. His heart fluttered with nervousness. Had he been wrong and Zelda was not really here? Had she left early and somehow bypassed their watch?

It made him tense to think about.

He never thought he'd be more thankful for that slithery feeling as Laval settled back in his shadow.

_**Go straight down that corridor then turn left. At the end is a door, unbolted. I'll provide further instructions from there.**_

She was here after all. His heart lightened and he quickly ducked out of the alcove, hurrying to follow Laval's directions. From beyond the door Laval took him on a winding course down the many honeycomb hallways, detouring a few times as he came close to a Goron, and at last he was taken to the final barrier.

The next door opened to a short hallway, which led to a wooden catwalk above a round common room. Below Zelda knelt before a pit of burning coals, eyes squeezed tight and rubbing her brows with the bandaged tips of her fingers. Dasril sat across from her, a worried expression on his face, hand outstretched toward her as if he meant to comfort her. It was half-hearted, as if he was uncertain about whether to touch her or not.

Link felt his heart stammer in his chest, but he didn't make a move quite yet. He crouched against the wall, peering down at them, watching for now.

_Not yet. Just wait,_ he told himself. When Dasril had left and she was alone, then he would make his move, ensuring all exits were blocked and that she had nowhere to run.

Zelda sighed and looked up at Dasril, who had dropped his hand by then. His face of worry then transformed into one of displeasure.

"Is it your endeavor to exhaust yourself?" he hissed crossly at her. "You should have taken a break today, as I've advised. It appears though, that my words mean nothing to you."

Smoothly she got up, doing well to conceal the slight tremble in her legs, something Link keenly noticed.

"What has your advice ever done for me?" she said coldly, for an instant sounding so much like her fake self had in the Lost Woods. "Nothing you have said has ever affected my decisions. Your advice is neither needed nor wanted."

The coals in the pit suddenly flared as Dasril breathed out, "It may not be wanted, but it is obviously needed if you plan to drive yourself into an early grave."

"I know my limits," shot Zelda, giving him her back. "And I have Impa, just in case."

Dasril looked as if he'd been felled, her remark cutting him deep. That she wouldn't even consider his help, only Impa's, must have driven a hole in his heart. Link experienced the same feeling, as if he wasn't needed, as if he was no longer looked to when she was troubled. She relied solely on herself now, and it felt horrible to be discarded like this, like he had once discarded her.

"Leave me," she ordered silently.

Dasril got up and fisted his hands, giving a tense bow, before heading to the room meant for his personal use. Zelda listened to his retreating footsteps then sighed. She then left the room, down a curving corridor just off to the side.

Lithely, Link jumped down and proceeded to follow her down the passage, keeping a good distance in between them so as not to alert her to his presence. He slowed as the corridor opened up to a roofless chamber, steam rising from a large pool in the center. A trail of discarded clothes lay strewn on the floor and Link caught sight of Zelda's bare back as she gently immersed herself in the water. She reclined against the edge for a bit before unraveling the bandages that covered her hands and gingerly dunking them into the mineral water.

Not once did a lewd thought enter his head. That could all come later if – when – he mended things between them. For right now he kept his steps quiet as he crept up behind her.

He ducked behind a boulder as her ears pricked and she suddenly swerved around, searching within the mist trying to pinpoint the cause of her disturbance. Link watched her from behind his cover as her eyes flitted this way and that before she decided to get out prematurely. Grabbing a nearby towel, she wrapped it around herself, holding it close in the front, her eyes and ears on alert the entire time.

She checked the opening above her first, but even he had a hard time making out the shapes through the steam. Besides, the threat she was looking for didn't come from above.

Once again she peered around her before her gaze lingered on the passageway with wariness.

Link skirted around the boulder, padding to her blind side. He then approached her. She was totally unsuspecting as she continued to focus her attention on the corridor. Once close enough he swiftly grabbed her around the waist, one hand covering her mouth, anticipating the scream she would emit.

In panic, she thrashed in his arms, eyes wide and horrified, her cries muffled by his hand. He allowed her to see who it was that had her and then dropped the hand covering her mouth to coil around her torso and arms.

"Link!" she exclaimed in sheer disbelief, momentarily ceasing her struggles as she let the reality of the situation settle over her mind. Then she renewed it with vigor.

"Link, let me go!"

He clutched her tighter, feeling the water from her wet back and hair seep into his tunic. "Do you think I'm stupid?" he growled lowly near her ear, his question rhetorical.

Did she honestly think that after all this time, that after she had evaded him again and again, that he was going to release her? No no and NO!

She wriggled in his grasp, doing her best to keep a hold of her towel while trying to get away from him. He just squeezed her tighter, limiting her movement.

"Link, I'm naked!" she pleaded, but he would not be moved.

"I don't care!" He held on tight as she struggled, arms fastened around her waist, refusing to let her go. Not until she calmed down and she could act rationally about all of this.

A voice suddenly called down the passage, making them both still.

"Zelda? Are you all right in there?"

Link snarled while Zelda groaned. Dasril!

"Zelda, what's going on?"

Again Zelda groaned, "Oh Goddesses. Do not enter! Whatever you do, don't come in!"

She tried to squeeze out from under his arms and Link reacted by lifting her feet off the floor, eliciting a fearful squeak from her. "Just listen to me, Zelda."

"Let me go!"

Distantly, he heard Dasril swear. "That's it. I'm coming in!"

At that proclamation Link cursed and hurriedly shoved Zelda behind him to preserve her dignity, withdrawing his sword and baring it in front of him. It was only when moving in front of her that he noticed that she had lost her grip on one corner of the towel.

Despite his pure motives, his eyes automatically took a sweep over her exposed self, top to bottom. For a moment they both stood staring at each other, frozen in place. They were brought back to awareness, however, at the sound of haste-induced footsteps down the corridor.

Zelda closed her eyes and shrieked, "No! Both of you out!" She thrust a hand out and a bright wall appeared before him. It slammed into him and pushed him back out of the room and down the passageway, colliding with Dasril as well when it reached him.

Both men were then thrust into the common room, tumbling to the floor before quickly righting themselves and facing one another. Link found he was too distracted by thoughts of Zelda in the next room to fully concentrate on Dasril, but he was able to successfully manage a good glare anyways. Dasril held his gaze, glaring with equal vehemence in return and in that moment it felt as if they were two wolves about to circle each other and attack.

"Link," sneered Dasril, tone a mixture of dislike and slight surprise.

Link twirled the Master Sword threateningly in his hand.

_**Careful, Link**_, cautioned Laval. _**Do you think acting impulsively will make this situation any better? I do not think Zelda would take it lightly if anything were to happen to him.**_

Gritting his teeth, Link whirled his sword fancifully before sheathing it. He then took off his baldric to remove the temptation and placed it on the ground a few feet away.

Then he waited for Zelda to emerge. Link's thoughts were constantly wandering back to the sight of her nude body, so pristine and smooth even with the few scars he had noticed. He pondered absently, feeling a flush rising unbidden to his face. This was not going quite as he envisioned it would.

He then thought to the open sky shining down over the hot springs and a sudden panic took hold.

He shot his head toward Dasril. "She wouldn't leave without you, would she?"

Dasril's eyes dulled as they peered at him and he shrugged. "I honestly don't know."

Not exactly the reassuring response that he desired.

He waited, and although it had only been seconds, it felt like minutes had gone by, minutes that she could easily use to escape through that opening in the roof. In hindsight he should have taken her clothes with him. She wouldn't dare go anywhere in just a towel.

Exhaling softly, Dasril returned to his place near the fire pit, sitting on the hard ground, cross-legged, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. Link's eyes shifted over to him and narrowed.

"What…was it that Zelda was doing?" he asked, slightly unsure. Had she been doing something or had he just misinterpreted it all?

"What?" said Dasril, staring into the coals.

Link walked over, his shadow extending menacingly behind him as he looked down at the Lord. "Before, when you told her she should have taken a break. A break from what?"

The minister raised his eyes to him then ran both hands through his hair, pulling out the thong, releasing long locks of ebony as he massaged his head. "Sorting her mind."

Link frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Sighing, all anger seemed to have fled from the minister as he explained, "It is a ritual that she does that makes her relive all her painful memories. She wants to 'come to terms' with them. It is essentially this. When we…er…that is when we extracted Wisdom's power…"

Link's eyes narrowed, recalling just why he hated the minister. He would never forget the sight of her broken body as they had retrieved her from the sphere, nor the feel of her dry bloody lips as he had pressed them against his own, breathing the life back into her. He would never forget how close he had come to losing her again.

"Wisdom is bound to the mind," Dasril drifted off, using a different approach, "just as Power is associated with the body, and Courage with the spirit."

Link mentally nodded. He knew all this. But Dasril had yet to get to the point.

"Her ordeal in the stone temple ruined her mind, made it a complete mess. Bad memories that a person would usually repress or shove to the back of their mind, were brought forth. Her emotions became mixed, a happy memory suddenly yielded depression, a fearful memory gave her joy, and so on. It had her aware of everything all at once. She described it as a multitude of voices screaming in her head. That was when her Triforce piece acted up and set her mind back in order, but in doing so it had to lock her most painful memories away."

Link squeezed his eyes shut before opening them and looking toward the corridor that led to the hot springs. Had she really been so affected by it? He had seen the damage done to her body, but he hadn't considered the full impact it would have on her mind. If they had used his Courage in the same way they had used her Wisdom, would his spirit have been shattered?

And she forced herself to watch all those horrifying memories unfold? "Why does she do it?" he asked, tersely. "Why doesn't she keep those memories locked up forever?"

It was Laval who answered. _**Wisdom is like a weapon to wield. If it is depended too much upon then when disarmed she'll have nothing to defend with.**_

He had terrors too. Some of them he shared with Zelda, but he wouldn't ever want to relive them. Most of the time he didn't even dwell on them. Only when used as a means to learn from past mistakes.

Soft footsteps padded lightly on the stone. Both Hylians turned their heads to see Zelda emerge from the passage, donning a wisteria colored dress above which she wore a darker purple shawl, pinned at the front with a silver brooch. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, blonde hair darkened from the moisture and draped over her shoulders in wet tangles. She looked up and her gaze immediately connected with Link's, wavering and unsure.

There was a pause, but then she stiffened, mustering up what had to be all the courage left in her reserves. "W-well Link," she said with firm determination, "I'm listening."

Link made to approach her but stopped himself, seeing her tensed form, like the fake Zelda in the woods. All this time, ever since he had regained his memories he had agonized over her, worried and fretted and prayed for her safety. There were over a million things he wished to say to her, yet he was stranded in a moment of speechlessness. He'd never been good with words, after all.

Seeing her there, standing stiffly as if wanting nothing but to get this over with drove him into a near rage. He had waited long and worked hard to find her, he had endured her copy and experienced the horror of having to kill her likeness, a worse feeling than killing his own copy had ever given him. He had learned that she was purposefully tormenting herself and all she could say was that? 'I'm listening'? They had to be the sweetest words to ever reach his ears.

He replied in kind, offering her his sickenly sweet sentiments. "What were you thinking?" he hissed silently.

He saw her eyes widen, saw her bosom rise as her breath caught. Something within him screamed for him to back off but he was beyond listening.

"What were you trying to accomplish, Zelda?" he shot louder than before. "Erasing everyone's memories and then taking off like that. You wanted to defeat Ganondorf on your own? Are you insane? You can't just go up and kill him, not without the Master Sword."

A fire sparked from behind her eyes and he silently encouraged it. It was better than her fear of him. Better than apathy.

"Yes, because only you can defeat him," she said coarsely, a snide tone having entered her voice as she gazed at him dispassionately. "And everyone else should bide away uselessly while you go off and slay the demon."

"That is how it should be," he replied then realized he was effectively calling her useless. He exhaled through his teeth and kneaded his brows. "Wait, that came out wrong. It was not meant that way."

Zelda had clenched her hands into fists, her form trembling as she regarded him. "Oh yes, yes it was. If you never wanted this fate thrust upon you then why are you so intent on doing everything yourself? You have the option to refuse. I'm sure Farore would find another champion. But you always take up the mantle, you always help us anyways. You save my country time and time again, you save me."

There was a slight cough in the background as Dasril watched awkwardly from the side, not daring to interfere. Link barely even noticed him, just as he barely even noticed the warning voice in his head begging him to stop this before it went too far.

Zelda gave a bitter frown. "You enjoy it. The traveling, you have a taste for adventure and for battle. But in the end once there's nothing left to fight you become bitter and resentful, and you turned your anger on me." Her bottom lip quivered and she bit it as she looked away, trembling not from anger now, but from despair. "I thought that if I could prevent Ganondorf from rising to full power, from taking over Hyrule, that I'd be able to stop him. My title was an object in the way. By eliminating everyone's memories of me I would no longer have that limitation. I had hoped that you'd have forgotten me as well, so you wouldn't have to bear this burden all over again. For once I wanted to save you. I didn't want your life to be one of trial and anguish. You were supposed to live peacefully."

He laughed shallowly, "Well you can see where that got us." It was clear what he was implying. Zelda shot her head up, lips thinned in a straight line as if fighting not to snap at him. He made it sound as if it was her decisions that were the cause for Xerthos' rise in power.

"Go ahead then!" she spat vindictively. "Do better! I've only ever burdened you, why should that change."

Link blinked, stunned, before flexing his jaw. "Look, it was not my intent to berate you," he added quickly.

Her eyebrows rose. "Oh, really? I would have never guessed."

This was turning into a mess. He should have known better than to attack her with words. Instead of feeling contrite she raised a barrier and became defensive, and he was pounding on that barrier with every word he uttered.

"Look, Zelda-"

"I would have used the Triforce to end it all," she said, eyes becoming glazed as she stared at the floor. "I would have wished to end the rebirth cycle once and for all. You, me and Ganondorf would have been laid to rest."

An end to it all… How lovely that sounded. But then did he truly desire rest in the afterlife? Had they ever really been to the afterlife – they never seemed to remember that part if they did – or had their souls been lain dormant until their next use. However, his soul was an adventuring one, no doubt it would become restless even after death. No. He did not want to stop living, being reborn again and again, as long as he could be with her every time.

"Another evil other than Ganondorf could arise as well," he pointed out. "Like our current foe. And there would be none able to stop it."

"I'm confident that a new hero would have been chosen," she replied softly, fiddling with a few wet strands of her hair. "The Goddesses would choose others to gift with the Triforce."

He frowned at her response.

It was their fate to bear. It was both a curse and an honor. Link would not have anyone else be subjected to it, nor did anyone else deserve the privilege. They had endured through many lifetimes, it was their destiny to uphold, no one else's. To even suggest that others might be fit to bear their burden was an insult to all that they had been through.

"But I don't want that," he said, voice softening. "Maybe once, but not anymore. Let _me_ defeat the evils of this world. I swear I will do anything to protect you and Hyrule."

Her vision snapped to him, eyes glinting with a firm shine of steel. She shook her head. "I don't want to depend on you. I don't want to depend on anyone." With that she turned on her heel and stormed off, headed for the exit.

A flash of panic shot through his system. "Zelda, don't leave!" he cried out. He started to rush after her but a swift wave of her arm sent him flying to his back.

Link groaned as he rolled to his front and lifted himself up on his arms, raising his head. His heart fell as he saw her retreating back. She hadn't broken her stride, hadn't once turned to look back at him.

"I'm not running away again," she said in a hushed voice. "Just…leave me alone."

He clenched his jaw, teeth grinding together. He didn't want to leave her alone. She'd been alone all this time, both of them had. It was not doing them any good, why couldn't she see that!

Furiously, he slammed his fist into the ground. "Damn it, you stupid woman! I love you!"

Abruptly her steps halted. He could see her shoulders suddenly start to shake before she dashed down the hall, away from him.

Link was left staring from his position on the ground. Moaning, he stood, shaking his bruised hand out and cursing himself all the while. Why did he always have to be so crass around her? It was like he couldn't help himself. Stress was making him thoughtless. Everything he'd been through had compiled all at once, invoking a surge of rage and frustration. And he'd taken it out on her, again… Goddesses, he had done better with her fake.

Slow clapping met his ears and his attention was brought to Dasril who had taken to leaning against the far wall as he had watched the entire display.

"Aaaaand that was sure to win her heart," Dasril drawled, his voice and manner indicating that he was wholly unimpressed.

Link shot him a nasty glare as he brushed himself down, removing his cape and flinging it to the side with his baldric. For all that it was in the middle of winter, the Goron's dwelling was as warm as summer.

"What would you know," spat Link. "You're an selfish uncaring cad."

"You just tore my feelings to pieces," responded Dasril with snide sarcasm. "How shall I ever recover."

"You don't," Link retorted, knowing that his words had no effect on the minister. It still felt good to say them. He was vaguely surprised that he hadn't yet tore a hole through the man's chest, however neither of them dared start a confrontation.

He grit his teeth and looked away, thoughts veering back to Zelda. By Farore! Of all the stubborn, thick-headed women in the world-!

"Zelda should rely more on me instead of doing things on her own. Look what happened without me there to intercede. Why couldn't she have just stayed at the castle? So much time I've used worrying about her and trying to track her down. If she had just waited for me I could have guarded her against Xerthos. And against you!" He narrowed his eyes on the minister. Dasril merely raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"You play the largest part in this mess," Link accused. "Only fools seek power. If you were worthy, the Goddesses would have bestowed you with it. Isn't your magic and position enough? Typical of a nobleman to let his greed rule his mind. Of all the sordid people I've ever met, few can match up to you."

Dasril listened attentively, ears flicking with irritation. "Yes, I have erred and I have accepted that and now seek redemption. My qualms are with Zelda, I don't need to hear this coming from you."

"I'm surprised she hasn't had you executed," hissed Link, as he started to pace around the room. He wanted to go after Zelda but knew he had to calm down first or else risk further increasing this distance between them. He'd done a good job of that so far. Talking to the minister, being around him in general, was doing little to help in that regard.

"You know that you are confirming all that Zelda has said about you," spoke Dasril lightly, incurring a heated glare from Link. He brushed it off. "That you think her someone who should wait while you do all the work, that you think her a burden, that you are a self-centered little shite with a hero complex."

Link ceased his pacing, about to retort before he reflected on his words and let out a strangled sound instead. He was right. As much as he hated to admit it, Dasril was pointing out the truth. Mentally he went over what he had said to her, realizing that it did all sound incriminating. He just wanted her to need him, like he needed her…

"But - but I don't. She's been more useful to me than she'll ever know," he said becoming quiet.

Dasril bore an expression of nonchalance as he shrugged. "Then go tell her."

He should, shouldn't he… What a disaster this was. He felt worn and weary. His shoulder slumped as a frown creased his brow. "The thing is I can't help but want to protect her."

"The weak should never be blamed for their own vulnerability," said Dasril. "That is one of the laws that the Knights of Hyrule abide by. It is an honor to defend those who cannot defend themselves. There isn't only strength in body. There is also strength to be found in the soul."

Link scoffed, brows knitting downward. "Zelda is anything but weak."

Subtly, Dasril raised his eyebrows. "Really? Have you done anything to prove you have this confidence in her."

Silence met him. Link had nothing to say to that. Had he? Certainly not in their last life, and so far not in this one.

"The princess was wrong in attempting to draw away from her destiny, she was wrong to blind you and everyone else from the truth," breathed Dasril tiredly. "The Goddesses created Wisdom and Courage to fight together to drive off evil. You've been working separately from each other, and from what I've seen so far that's been doing more harm than good. You won't be able to stave off this evil on your own, either of you."

"So many years I've been waiting for her," spoke Link softly, rubbing his forehead. "Even when I tire, I refuse to give up. My cause is what drives me. I'll never give her up again. But if she truly wants me to stop, how can I refuse? I'm shackling her, just like Ganondorf shackles us both. I'd leave and set her free if I could, but that would be the same as denying her, pretending that she's not the deepest desire in my heart. It would be a travesty."

"You don't need to imprison her. Turn those shackles into air. Instead of binding each other, live together as one being."

Link suddenly frowned and looked over at Dasril suspiciously. "Why are you telling me this? I was given the impression that you hold some affection for her."

Dasril looked away and scoffed, "You think that after all I've done that she would have me?"

Link reached back to scratch the nape of his neck. "Well, compared to all that _I've_ done…"

"Inconsequential!" shot Dasril, slashing his hand through the air, sparks flaring at his fingertips. Link's eyes briefly widened. "She loves you, you fool! She'll never be happy with anyone else. Her love for you is unconditional. She'd still love you should you strike her down at this very moment." He then groaned and turned away. "Ever since I've told her about you she's been pining away for you. She'd abandon her mission just to see you. She'd watch you for endless hours, making certain that you were okay, that you had everything you needed. She positively adores your close relationship with her brother, and loves watching you interact with him. She loves everything about you. How can I compete?" His voice became one of utmost misery as he chuckled, "No. There is no competition, only defeat."

In that instant, seeing the once confident and haughty Lord morph into this disconsolate wretched man before him, Link felt pity for him. He knew what it was like to mess up and experience the harsh consequences that ensued. He couldn't fathom, however, what it was to experience a one-sided love. And that, he suspected, was more painful than all methods of torture the world had to offer.

Dasril's shoulders were hunched as he stood unmoving, no longer emitting a single sound.

In the end Link silently strode out of the room, his loathing for Dasril decreasing just a mite. He could feel Laval shooting out of his shadow, leaving him alone to go to Zelda.

He found her at another pool of steamy water, huddled beneath a hooded outcrop, knees pulled up and hugged close, feet inches from the warm water. She didn't notice him, and for a while he remained there watching her slight form shake as she wept quietly into her arms.

He took a deep breath then tentatively stepped forward. "Zelda…?"

Zelda snapped her head up and quickly pulled to her feet, wiping away the wet tracks that stained her cheeks.

He'd been told once that there were two universal languages of the world. That of women, and that of men. They were the silent languages of actions. Women could never fully understand as other men did the meaning of their subtle nods and gestures. Women had to be told with words or else they'll be forever guessing and insecure. And it was the same vice versa.

Link had never been good with words, so he conveyed his want with action, a gesture that he silently begged Zelda to understand. His eyes were solemn as they peered intently into her tearful ones. He opened up his arms.

* * *

><p>Zelda could feel the tears once more welling up in her eyes and released a short sob before running to him, straight into his arms. Link snatched her up and held her tightly to him, one arm around her waist, his other hand pressing against the back of her head. She barely felt it as Impa left her shadow, drifting off to search out Laval and Dasril.<p>

Goddesses, after so long it felt so good to be held by him again.

"Link! Link, I missed you so much!" she sobbed into his chest. She couldn't help the tremors that wracked her body. She was so full of emotions she was practically a blubbering mess. She forgot all about the harsh words they had spoken. What little meaning they held, when he was right here embracing her. Everything just melted away.

He hugged her close, squeezing her to him as he nestled his head in her hair. She could feel his warm breath against her neck as he spoke, "Can you forgive me? For all the wrong I've done you, all those times I turned away, for everything?"

She smiled, and buried her face in his chest, tears cascading down her face. "Yes! Goddesses, Link, I love you."

"And I you," he replied.

Her heart fluttered, but it was still filled with uncertainty. "I-I had thought you no longer loved me," she murmured, quietly sniffling.

His arms clenched around her tighter. "There never was a time I didn't love you. My heart always knew you were there but I was too much a fool to trust it. Forgive me. I love you, Zelda. You don't have to be alone anymore."

She almost stopped breathing at that point. Those words... She had dreamt of hearing them from his lips once more, but never gave herself the chance to hope.

"I'm sorry, Link," she shuddered, feeling more fragile than ever. "Everything's always my fault. I've been weak. I've been a fool and a coward."

She apologized to him for everything, not just this current life. Without her, he could have lived normally. He wouldn't have had to suffer court life, enduring the taunts and insults. If she had been able to protect her own country then Hyrule wouldn't have needed a hero and he wouldn't have been forced to help all the time.

She was moderately surprised when Link gently kissed her head. "No, none of that," he whispered in her ear. "You're the strongest person I've ever met."

Zelda clutched the fabric of his tunic, ignoring the pain as her fingers dug into it tightly. Suddenly she felt a strong arm scoop beneath her legs as he picked her up. For all this time, for so long this was what she was missing. Being held in his protective embrace. There was nowhere she'd rather be.

He carried her to the hooded outcrop and sat on the bank with her in his lap. He leaned back against the stone and pulled her against his chest, arms wound tight around her.

"Tell me everything."

She relaxed in his hold. Peering up at him she took a moment to wipe her eyes with her palms. "E-everything?"

"I want to know you once more," he said softly. "No more secrets, no more guessing. Not like before."

She smiled at him, sniffing softly. "Where shall I start?"

Link closed his eyes, his body tensing beneath her. "Start with Mell…"

She had suspected that was it. He had not meant 'everything' literally; he wanted to know her side from when their relationship had first begun to decay. She was not inclined to talk about it; she didn't even want to think about it. It had not really all begun with Mell. She had just been a poor bystander drawn into their personal feud. It could have been any other woman, but it had been her who Link had sought to court, and so she was the one who represented the beginning.

"I never hated her, although at one point I thought I did," said Zelda, basking in the warm of his body against hers, his masculine scent so soothing to her senses. "I was jealous. I had often wondered what about her was better than me. Why you sought her out when I was always right there waiting for you."

His arms tensed around her and he leaned down, brushing his lips against her hair. "Go on."

She was hesitant because it was bringing up a lot of hurtful memories for them. Steadily, however, she carried on, "Then after that day in the office, I did as you asked," she murmured softly. "I respected your wishes and stayed away from you. Even in the freemen's camp I kept out of your way whenever you visited. Every day I would wait to hear news of you. I was proud of you whenever I learned you had conquered another dungeon, but I was also frightened for you because even though I had confidence in you there was always the chance that you wouldn't come back. I even went so far as to rebuke you because you were getting cocky and careless. It appears you still are, actually."

His chest rumbled as he chuckled. "I'll try to tone it down."

She nodded. "That would be nice. You don't know how much it frightens me. You've always been quite liberal with taking chances."

He stayed silent at that. Zelda looked up to find his eyes still closed, one of his hands had taken to running through her hair.

"I wanted to be there during the final battle against Ganondorf," she continued. "I went against the wishes of my generals and snuck away to go to the castle. And then you came. Fighting with you against Ganondorf was thrilling. I was finally able to help. That lifetime it seemed that all I had done was sit around and wait while you found out everything on your own. There was no need for a guide."

"I heard how you helped the villages," Link input suddenly. "How you planned and strategized to break into the slave camps and free as many as you could. Not to mention that you lead the battalion to recapture Kakariko."

She hummed, staring at her bandaged hands. "It barely made a dent in Ganondorf's forces. I was a thorn in his side, while you were the sword at his throat." She went on before he could offer her any words of comfort. This part was rather difficult. "When I… I was dying… It hurt so much. I was so scared, Link. I know what death is like, but never like that. Neither of us had ever been killed before and it… I was so afraid that we wouldn't make it."

The hand stroking her hair stopped before recommencing its motion. She could hear the anguish in his voice as he spoke, "I'm sorry that I couldn't save you. For years afterwards I've lived with the guilt of failing you."

Zelda blinked as she felt more tears coming on. She was surprised she hadn't cried herself out yet. These were the most tears she'd shed all at once in ages.

"Zelda, you're trembling," exclaimed Link with concern.

She felt her chin being grasped as he gently turned her saddened face up to meet his eyes, his thumb brushing over her cheek.

"All this time," she muttered through her tears, choking back her sobs. "Goddesses, Link. We'd been captured, they had you pinned down. I had thought you died right after me."

His eyes became distant and then he crushed her to him. "I wish I had. I would have welcomed death rather than live as I had afterwards. There was never any solace for me. When I turned seventeen in this life and my memories returned it was the happiest moment I've had in years. I set off right away to see you again." He then laughed dryly. "You can imagine my shock upon finding Zellandus instead. I admit, for a while there I had thought he was you."

She stared at him incredulously. "You cannot be serious."

"Oh definitely," he replied with amusement. "He does look astonishingly like Sheik, you must admit."

She smiled in agreement. "Perhaps a tad," she replied.

"You can't blame me for thinking that way," said Link, as he moved his hand from her chin to caress her cheek. "Nobody knew of you, and he was the closest thing I had to you. I was very relieved upon concluding that you were alive when the blessing ceremony failed."

Her eyes widened at that revelation. "It failed?" Dasril had not told her this. When she had asked he had said that it had been a success. How could he lie to her like that?

Oh. It had been right before he'd betrayed her and taken her to Xerthos. She reflected, it had been such a short time ago that he'd been a completely different person.

"It failed," Link said solemnly. "Your existence was then confirmed when the Zora priestess came and revealed that a spell had been placed over all of Hyrule, blocking everyone's memories of you. At first I thought that something must have happened to you. I learned from Dasril that it had been you who had planned it all and cast the spell. I resent you for that."

"For a lot of things, it seems," she murmured, sighing.

Link flicked his ears in unease. "Anyways, you know the rest. Although I still cannot fathom why you had to run off with Dasril. Of all people!"

Inwardly she flinched. "Were you that mad?" she prodded hesitantly.

"I won't lie to you, I was rabid," said Link, voice turning cold. "I'm actually amazed at how well I held it in. I'm still mad actually. At you and at Dasril." Something sparked in his eyes then. "Come to think of it… Dasril is only a few rooms away. Suddenly I feel like giving him a good thrashing."

Zelda cupped his cheek and refocused his attention. "When I regained my memories it took me a while to decide what to do." Indeed, the conflict she had suffered had been agonizing. She had spent days in solitude before her plan had come to her. "I made the decision to give you a life free of burden. I decided to hunt down Ganondorf myself before he attained power." She dropped her hand, suddenly unable to look at him. "I'm sorry I took that choice away from you. I'm… I can't do it by myself. It's impossible for me to…"

She was trembling again, tears about to spill out. Goddesses, but she couldn't help it. She was just so happy and so sad, her emotions confused her. Abruptly she cleared her mind and thought only of Link. He was her lifeline, he grounded her like no other.

Tenderly, he tucked her head beneath his chin, his hand rubbing in soothing motions up and down her arm. "You're not alone anymore."

She sniffed, closing her eyes and resting against him. Her crying had near tired her out. "I don't want to depend on anyone…"

"Then don't," he surprised her with his firm response, his hand stilling. "But know that I depend on you. I need you, so please don't ever leave me again."

Oh, Link. If she had known… Right before she had died and he had said that he loved her, she had thought he'd been saying it out of pity. After his words to her in the office how could she not? It made sense that bitterness had been festering inside of him for all this time, that he no longer desired her. So she hadn't believed him when he had told her otherwise. She'd been dying, they'd both been scared, emotions ran high, his sentiment toward her could have easily been mistaken as something deeper because of this.

But now…

"I won't," she said quietly. "I promise, I won't." She was so tired of running and hiding all the time. And now that he had caught her, that she was here with him, she never wanted to be apart from him again.

"Can we just…start over?" she murmured. She could feel his inquisitive gaze on her. "Not at the very beginning, just… I realized that for the past few lifetimes we never actually courted properly, we just jumped straight to engagement and then marriage. I'd like it if we began at step one." She peered up at him, assessing his reaction.

Whatever uncertainty she had was allayed as he smiled at her fondly. "Step one it is."

She smiled. Step one… They were together again and could begin anew. This time would be better.

"Out of curiosity," she began offhandedly, garnering a curious hum from him. "How did you find me?"

His form tensed suddenly. "This isn't for future reference I hope?"

She flushed crimson. It made sense that he would think that of her. "No, I'm not going anywhere. I'm just curious."

"Well then," replied Link. "You can thank your Sheikah guardian for that."

Zelda furrowed her brow. "Impa?"

He nodded and shifted them to a more comfortable position. Zelda was moved so that she was almost lying full front on him. He then resettled against the stone. Such a hard surface could not at all be good for his back.

"While fighting the moblins at the King's Rise, Blackhurst Hall rather, Impa contacted Laval and Laval told me," he explained.

As much as it hurt that Impa had betrayed her trust like that, she couldn't find it within her to be too mad at her guardian. Rather…dare she admit it?…She was grateful.

"Zelda," he said, voice terse, compelling her to look at him. His demeanor had become suddenly austere. His gaze was heated as he looked at her. "According to Impa you are still unwell. Dasril too mentioned something similar. He said your mind was damaged."

Zelda closed her eyes tightly. She was too tired to talk more about it. She no longer wanted to dwell on the unhappy aspects of her life.

"Here," he said tenderly. "Give me your hands."

Blinking in surprise, Zelda hesitantly obeyed, holding out a hand for him to take. Her surprise heightened as he began to unwrap the bandages, motions meticulous and slow.

Why would he want to see them? He had to know that she kept them wrapped for a reason. It wasn't just that they were damaged and she was working on healing them, they were also not at all pleasant to look at.

Slowly he pulled the bandages away, revealing the raw skin beneath. She hadn't bothered applying the salve after she had kicked Link out of the bathing room, and so they were still dry and cracked. She stiffened as he cradled her hand in his and delicately turned it over, scrutinizing every mark and line that marred it. He then brought it up to his lips, kissing her fingertips before picking up her other hand and kissing it as well.

Zelda was at a loss for words.

Link moved his lips downward and murmured against her wrist, "Tomorrow we'll go to a fairy fountain."

She shuddered, her heart beating rapidly within her chest. "A-alright."

He held onto her hand as she relaxed into him. Her eyes and face were still wet, bringing her a modicum of discomfort, but she didn't care at the moment. Right now she was just happy to be here, tucked safe in his arms.

They stayed there for a while afterward, silent and unwilling to move from their positions. Eventually Zelda could feel the slow rise and fall of his chest beneath her as Link fell asleep. It was then she noticed the dark circles beneath his eyes and all the concern lines that had creased his young forehead.

He had really been worried for her, hadn't he… She felt bad for feeling happy about him enduring so much for her, but the thought that he still cared deeply for her, that after all this time he still loved her, gave her cause for delight. They'd both suffered so much, she was just glad that it was over.

She sighed, nuzzling into his chest.

Well, mostly over. There was still Xerthos and the Augurer to contend with. Finding them, she discovered, was proving to be impossible. And somehow they had managed to keep hidden all their hordes of beasts as well. She wouldn't be surprised if they used a portal for this and were amassing them all in one distant location, perhaps even beyond Hyrule. She couldn't imagine the extensive energy use it would take to move them around like that.

It was vexing, but there was nothing that could really be done but wait for the enemy to make the first move. They would just have to make sure they were ready for them when they did strike.

Beneath her, Link shifted, his arm briefly flexing around her waist before it relaxed. She stared at his face, framed by feathery locks of golden blonde hair. Smiling, she reached up and pulled off his hat, revealing more of that startling gold. She had always disliked his hat, even though he seemed rather fine with it. He looked better without it, in her opinion.

She closed her eyes tiredly.

Impa was right. A darkness had clotted itself inside her, and until now she had only been able to chip away at it bit by bit. With Link she felt brighter. With him, a good portion of that darkness dissolved into nothing.

She reminisced that it was only yesterday that she held onto wishes. Today though, she could hold onto him.

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><p><strong>AN: *Wipes away tears***** Such sappy happiness. **

**I never anticipated this story turning out the way it has with so many different emotions to it. Other than the first chapter, it was never intended to get this intense. **

**Anyways, I'm sorry for the long wait. It's been almost a full year, but I hope it was worth it in the end. Thank you all so much for putting up with all my delays. I hope that this at least met everyone's expectations.**

**I'll be honest, I really want them reviews for this chapter ^^**


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Over 40 reviews for one chapter! Thank you all tremendously! I didn't expect that awesome of a reception. I'm so happy you like it ^^.**

**Thank you: Doodle Ladle, Nahelo, A True NaZaMi Fan, Bloodspire, OverlordOfGrammaticCorrections, Link The Hero of Light, Guest (Jan 9), Just-AWESOME-old-me, FlashLit3, Wolf, DrDonut, Leina16, ObscurityProject, tetraforce theory, AngeloBowow, Twokeyz, Random Rockets, Cameron . 007, 11lol11, Finvarra Faerie, Death Waltz, Foyet-the-Reaper, lissani, Lilac Gemani, Astercia, Schniedragon88, Ancient . tree, Prometheus17, PrincessPeach, Generala, CuteClaireBear, elf warrior knight, DarknessFathom, randomishdude, nanaimobar, LiddyRose, Tranquil mind, burning book, Eva, mizuki akazawa, berryjuicy, Van . Blake, and Dark!**

**So I've been pretty inconsistent with my capitals and some sentence structure throughout the story. I'll fix it all up when I get to revising. In the meantime go ahead and ignore my blunders, or point them out if you want. **

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><p><span><strong>Chapter 28<strong>

The moment he awoke and smelled that sweet scent of roses and lushwood Link knew that he didn't want to get up. Unfortunately the crick in his neck and his sore back from sleeping against hard stone fought against that decision. Groaning, he shifted up, arms bracing the slight feminine figure pillowed on his chest.

He gazed down at her and scrubbed his eyes with the back of his hand to make certain his vision wasn't hazy, that it was really her nestled in his arms. He raised a tentative hand to brush away some loose strands of hair from her face, sighing softly in content. She hadn't brushed her hair after her bath and it was full of tangles.

He stroked her head gently, threading his fingers through the strands and loosening some of the knots. She looked so serene, her face relaxed in slumber, chest rising and falling subtly, he could feel the pounding of her heart beating against his. He traced a finger along a golden arched eyebrow then swept it over the curve of her smooth cheek.

Silently he marvelled at all that has happened within the last few hours. He still couldn't believe that she had been able to willingly forgive him. After all the unnecessary heartache he had caused her… And the heartache he had caused himself… What pointlessness. He must have been masochistic or something.

Slowly, he pushed himself up to his knees, cradling her gently in his arms, and rose to his feet, careful to not wake her. Taking one last look around, he left the hot springs. He vaguely remembered the way back to the guest rooms and soon found the right path as he entered one of the main corridors. He counted himself lucky that he hadn't encountered a single Goron yet. Damn lucky, actually. He didn't know how he'd explain himself.

Back in the common room he noticed that his cloak and the Master Sword were still discarded on the floor where he had left them. Dasril was nowhere to be seen, but he anticipated with the Sheikah's guarding him, he could not be too far away. In the center of the room the fire had burned down to a soft orange glow within a pit of cinders. Other than the hall he had just entered from, five different paths led off of the main chamber, including the exit from the catwalk from where he had snuck in. He knew the passage to the left led to the private hot springs, and out of the others he deduced that one had to be Zelda's room.

Upon stepping foot into the chamber a cast of darkness slithered along the floor. Instead of entering either his or Zelda's shadow as he had expected it to, it swirled in place as if it had merely come to greet him.

_**She sleeps in the center chamber, hero.**_

On the wall to the right of him there were three openings, each leading to separate suites. Link gave a short nod at the floor, "Thank you, Impa," before starting down the passage in the middle.

He emerged in an anteroom first. It was decorated sparsely with wooden furniture, walls painted in the design of the Gorons and hung with tapestries, with a few rugs strewn about the floor. A wooden door separated this room from the bedroom and he fumbled carefully to get it open without disturbing his precious bundle. It swung on its hinges with nary a squeak, and he pushed his way in. At seeing the rock-hard excuse of a bed and the flimsy piece of fabric that the Gorons called a mattress, he seriously considered just taking her down to Kakariko. It seemed that even now Gorons were incapable of wrapping their heads around the fact that other races were considerably more delicate than they were. After all these ages one would think that they'd learn.

Tearing a tapestry off the wall, he folded it twice then draped it over the mattress before laying Zelda down on top. He found her cloak and placed it over her as a blanket. It was then he noticed something tangled in her arms. Making sure that she was still fast asleep, he gingerly maneuvered her arms out of the way and pulled the object free.

His eyebrows quirked as he held it up and identified it as his hat. Had she been cuddling with it?

Feeling oddly pleased about that thought, he smoothed it out and folded it before depositing it in his pouch. He'd wear it later.

He was feeling rather pleasant as he left her to rest undisturbed. Truthfully, he would have liked to stay with her and cozy up by her side and be the first thing she saw when she awoke, but considering that he was still covered in dirt and sweat from his climb up the mountain, he found it more prudent to bathe while he waited for her. Zelda hadn't been too mindful before, but it was by principle that he wished to stay clean around her. Whenever possible, that is.

He returned to the common room and headed down the passage leading to the baths. He had no need to gather the required items for cleaning, everything was stocked haphazardly in his pouch, but he did snag Zelda's discarded towel on the way in.

He trusted the Sheikahs to keep watch over both Zelda and Dasril so was not at all worried about being interrupted as he stripped then sank into the steaming pool. He washed quickly and was out less than a quarter hour later. Donning a fresh wardrobe, he stuffed his things back into his pouch and made his way once more to Zelda's room.

Her door was still shut when he reentered the anteroom, and he safely assumed that she was still sleeping.

Closing his eyes, he released a slow breath, feeling lighter than he had in ages. Delving a hand into his pouch he unearthed a black case, which quickly grew to size as he pulled it out. He placed the case down on a chair and opened it, withdrawing a violin and bow. After a few minutes of tuning and tightening the string, he began to play.

It was the song of healing. Back when his memories first began he had played this song for the various diseased people of Termina, and many others thereafter, in order to free their tormented souls and help them find peace. He found it suitable in this instance as he played for himself.

He let the music flow, his eyes drifting to a half-lidded state as if he were in a trance. A calm and soothing trance. Along the years words had been added to this song and many times he and Zelda had sung it as a duet, one sang the melody while the other sang in a different key.

The song was short and too soon it came to an end and he lowered his violin, blinking out of his daze.

Sensing a presence behind him, he spun around and came face to face with Zelda.

She lingered at the door, rubbing the tiredness from her eyes. She smiled when their eyes connected and walked into the room. "That was beautiful, Link," she said quietly.

He chanced a grin, looking at her sidelong. "It's not like you haven't heard me play before."

"Never the violin," she simply replied, stopping a few feet from him.

Abruptly, Link set the instrument down and immediately sought to close that distance. He gathered her up in his arms and planted a chaste kiss on her head. She tensed in his grasp, before relaxing and resting fully into him. Even now she was still so uncertain. He'd have to fix that. He wanted her to be able to trust him implicitly, to trust that he wouldn't abandon or hurt her again. Goddesses, he'd do anything for her.

"Zelda, my light, how are you feeling?" he asked her softly, hands caressing up and down her back.

Again she tensed before sighing lowly, seemingly forlorn. "It has been a long time since you've called me that."

His face darkened into a frown and he pulled her tightly against him. "Too long, I'd say." Far far too long. However, he didn't want to linger on the regrets of the past. If he could go back and change it all he would, but right now he was far more interested in the present.

He exhaled longly and pressed his lips to her hair. "I'm sorry, Zelda. I should have been there for you."

"It's hard to forget all that's happened," she muttered, and he drew back so that he could look at her properly, gazing into her startling blue eyes, so old and sad.

"You don't have to forget the past…" he supplied, hoping to dissolve that disheartened expression. "Just don't dwell on it."

She nodded in response, a simple gesture. She appeared so silent and shy that without words he pulled her into him again. Even if it was done unconsciously she was testing the grounds, testing his sincerity. They were being delicate with each other. Their relationship had become strained and even now, reunited as they were, it was not known entirely what was expected of the other. He would give her a reason to believe in him once more.

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><p>"Tell me about your friends. The ones who fought with us against the redeads."<p>

Link peered at her, seeing her inquisitive gaze as she attempted to break the ice and fill in the silence between them. They walked along, side by side as they traversed the mountain's higher elevations on their way to the great fairy fountain. Most of their journey had been predominated by silence, and that was fine. He had been calmly indulging in her presence, relaxed with the knowledge that he no longer had to fear for her at any given moment of the day.

He drifted his gaze down to the bandaged hand swinging at her side. He would have clasped it in his if he were certain it would not harm her. Remembering the sight of them last night he could only imagine how much pain they caused.

"At least, I assume they are your friends," she added with haste and some anxiety, as if afraid he'd take offense for guessing wrong.

His eyes flitted once more to her face, finding she had turned it back to look front in order to keep watch of where she was going so she didn't trip over the uneven ground. If he'd thought the amount of snow in the fields was bad, it was nothing compared to the entire six feet that flanked them on both sides here. Earlier Zelda had kindly requested a Goron to carve a path for them to the fountain. The work had been done in minutes, allowing Link and Zelda to travel upward virtually unhindered. There were still slippery spots and clumps that got in their way, but it was far better than having to plough through the heaps of frozen water and enduring as it soaked into their clothes. Mentally, Link applauded Zelda's foresight.

The way the sun sparkled off the snow gave it a picturesque sort of quality to it that he found beautiful and uplifting. Walking the path, just the two of them, it sort of felt as if they were out for a romantic stroll rather than a short pilgrimage to Death Mountain's summit.

Smiling, he grabbed her wrist. She gave a small jump at the contact, however she made no movement to pull away. On the contrary, she subtly inched closer, allowing him to hold onto her. Her hands may be damaged, he reasoned, but the rest of her was fine and touchable. He swallowed thickly. Not that he intended to overstep his boundaries, he didn't think step one entailed more than embracing and maybe the occasional kiss... He'd have to clarify that with her. Exactly how many steps were there and what did each comprise of? And when would they get to the step that allowed...

"I suppose they are," he said abruptly, steering his thoughts away from anything vulgar. "They're one of Brula's stealth squads." His tone became lighter as he thought to his little group. "Aiden is the youngest. He's reckless and new so he doesn't quite mesh with the rest of us, but he's getting there. He's not a noble, but Brula's having him taught to act like one for future missions. She intends on testing him out sometime in the near future, although I don't know that there'll be an opportunity with Xerthos at large."

Yet another thing to worry about. Their foe had been quiet these past few weeks, and none of them knew for certain why. If he was attempting to lower their guard he'd find that plan shot. Commander Deb had already increased the security around Castle Town's perimeter and had ordered her men back from the fields. There was no point in searching for an enemy that could not be found. The best they could do was be prepared for an attack. The citizens had expressed their worries at the increase of military personnel around town, but Zellandus had cleverly quelled them by explaining that with the larger number of nobles arriving at Castle Town there would be higher rates of thievery and other assorted crimes. At the moment they'd considered it wise to let the citizens dwell in ignorance. No need to set off a panic.

It made him wonder, did this man… this Lord Xerthos… did he even intend on conquering Hyrule? Or did he have another purpose for breaking the seal and absorbing the power of a demon? For Ganondorf it had always been about exerting his dominance over the land, and claiming it as his own. He'd desired to reign supreme as king – no – as emperor. Was Xerthos' plan similar?

He remembered what Reth had said in the Stone Temple. That there would be untold bloodshed upon the land… So was it to conquer, or to completely render Hyrule apart in the desire for blood? A dastardly tribute to his demonic soul...

"And Wist? Is he doing well?"

He blinked and shook those dismal thoughts from his head. He'd worry about it later. Once they returned to the castle they could orchestrate a plan with Brula. For now only Zelda mattered.

"He is, as far as I know," he replied, rubbing his thumb in circles over her pulse. "He and I barely interact outside of assignments. He has this friend that he consorts with. James something or another, I believe."

She gave a sharp exhale, her breath misting out before her. "Ah, lord James Farlow." Link blinked in astonishment when she smiled in recognition of the man. She caught his gaze and shrugged. "I can tell I've gone mad when I've begun to miss even him. He truly was contemptible."

Link wrinkled his nose in dissent. "I can't imagine ever being able to miss him."

"I suppose it is the castle that I miss and he in part represents that," she murmured, more to herself than to him. "His family is very notable. He's been around since my childhood. He often bullied Zellandus and I'd get back at him with magic."

Link chuckled in amusement, imagining the sorts of pranks she must have pulled on the unsuspecting lord. His spirit soared as he realized that they were conversing amiably and Zelda seemed more at ease with him than before. Honestly, it had been as if she'd expected him to revert back to some uncaring lout, as if she was indecisive about whether this was a reality or a dream.

He almost lost his footing as a thought suddenly occurred to him. "Wait a minute, you know Wist?"

Seemingly unbothered, she nodded. "Quite well. He had been one of my suitors."

Appalled that he could have forgotten such a fact – he was certain at one point Zellandus had mentioned it – he readied to thoroughly trash the man's image, that was, before Zelda ran ahead, coming up to a tall rock wall.

Ah, he'd forgotten about that. He was becoming quite remiss these days.

Zelda looked over at him expectantly and it occurred to him that she'd never been to the higher tiers of the mountain. No, wait, she had as Sheik. But that one time had been so long ago, during the first life he remembered. And even then, she could have just played her harp to transport herself within the bowels of the mountain. Had she ever visited this fairy fountain before?

He approached the wall and brushed some flakes of snow off the grooved structure. The numerous planks that had once been hammered into its surface to provide assistance had long rotted away and been taken down as a safety measure. No new ones had been added since.

"We're going to have to climb." At seeing her fidgety form he amended. "I'm going to have to climb." With her hands it would be impossible for her to make it on her own. He crouched down and motioned at his back. "Hop on."

Zelda took a step away. "I can do it myself."

Sighing abjectly, he stood and marched over to her. If this was some annoying way of establishing her independence -!

Swiftly he grabbed her arms and she gasped as he pulled her behind him, looping them around his neck and hitching her up. "There's a fine line between stubbornness and foolishness," he chided, feeling her grip tighten as she was lifted off her feet. "Are you good?" He felt the slight nod of her head against his back before he went up to the wall and found the distinctive handholds. "Now hold on tight."

She was so very light that he barely noticed the addition of her weight as he started up the rock face. He had to pause every now and then to wipe some snow away from the creases so his fingers wouldn't slip, and at one point he fumbled as a rock sprung loose, causing Zelda to abruptly lift her legs and squeeze his waist with her knees, a feeling that did not subside for the rest of the climb. He skipped the first landing but took a break at the second, more for her sake than his.

Setting her down, he rolled his shoulders and offered her a drink from his flask. She gave it back to him when she was finished and pulled her cloak tighter, shivering in the brisk wind.

"And lady Delage?" she prompted. "You never told me about her."

Link leaned against the wall and took a swig from the flask. "I would have thought you'd known her too."

Zelda shook her head, her expression unreadable to him as her eyes swept over the scenic view that the height offered them. "I know her face and I know her name. She arrived at court almost the same moment that I left." She shivered as a frigid gust of wind bit at her face and tugged at her clothes.

Link saw this and pushed off the wall. "Aren't you cold?"

"I'm fine," she defended conscientiously, swiping her hair back as it whipped around her face.

Even he was feeling the lower temperatures bundled as he was beneath numerous layers of fabric. He suspected it had more to do with him. Link could see how uneasy she was. She was as skittish as a rabbit and twice as flighty as one.

"Come here," he said softly, hand outstretched.

She inclined her head to look down at it then lightly placed her hand in his. He fingers closed around her wrist and he deftly swung her into his arms, bunching the fabric of his cloak in his hands to entwine around them both, encompassing them in a sheet of warmth. Zelda huddled close against him. They took solace in each other's body heat, their hot breaths warming their faces.

"Amy has fast become one of my closest friends in the castle," said Link lowly next to her ear. "She's…quite unusual, not like the other nobles that I've met. She's extraordinarily perceptive and more than once she's helped me out of an undesirable situation. Most of the nobles are irritated at her because she's a tomboy. Actually, that might not be how to coin it. She basically does whatever she wants, disregarding all social norms."

He heard Zelda sigh against him, her head drooping slightly. "She sounds lovely…"

Sensing that something was wrong, Link peered down at her, trying to see her past the few light locks of hair peeking from beneath his cloak. "Zelda?"

Abruptly she lifted her head and gazed at him imploringly, eyes moist. "You don't have to do this… You don't have to feel obligated, just because of what I said back then…"

He frowned, perplexed. What in Hyrule...?

"I won't deny you your freedom this time," she went on, blinking rapidly at the the sudden flow of tears. "If there's someone else you desire I don't want to hold you back."

His confusion quickly turned to angry realization. Perhaps it was because to her the events of their previous life were still fresh in her mind compared to him, who had undergone years of peace in between his memories of then and now. She just couldn't let go of the past.

Did she think that he wanted to be with Amy? Not only did Amy show no interest in those of the male sex beyond platonic friendship, but it was impossible for him to consider anyone but her… this sad little girl in his arms.

His hand on her cheek cut her off and she stared at him, mouth rounded and breathing harshly. He spoke darkly, wiping away her tears, "That's the problem with women; they listen to the harmful words of others too often. It fills them with low self-esteem. Please _please_ don't become a person who doubts herself. Don't believe any bloody lies anyone tells you. You have a good heart and that makes you better than them, better than me."

"But what if I am that sort of person?" she put in morosely, casting her eyes aside even as she placed a hand over his. "You've helped to make me that person."

And that proved to be his greatest regret. "Then I'll be the one to fix you."

"Do you think I'm broken?" she whispered in a small fractured voice that tore at his heart.

Link took a good look at her and smiled reassuringly. He'd seen broken. Men, women, children who had been beaten into submission until they had little thought of their own, until they were forced to believe that every problem in the world was somehow their fault with no need for rationality or reasoning. Every punishment they received they thought they deserved. They'd become doormats, walked over so many times that it was an automatic reaction to just lie down and take it. They've been manipulated and taken advantage of constantly throughout their lives, their control stolen so thoroughly that when encountered with an offer of salvation they do not know what to do with it.

Someone who was broken lacked spirit. They lacked the will to fight. That was not Zelda.

"No," he said quietly, smiling softly, "never broken. Just a bit warped." Her back tensed beneath his hands and it was then that his mind reeled as he became fully aware of what he'd just said. "I-I mean different, frayed, not normal – ah, er..." he stammered, uncertain how he was going to save himself from that blunder.

She shook against him, and his heart broke to pieces at the thought that he had made her cry. But when he glimpsed her face he saw that she was actually laughing, albeit silently. Those pieces of his shattered heart instantly shot back in place and repaired itself, knowing that he was the one who had produced that smile from her.

He sighed despondently and pressed his forehead into her shoulder, face flaming. "I'm an idiot…"

She laughed out loud this time, a single chiming note that caused his being to swirl with warmth. He raised his head so he could bear witness.

"I understand, Link," her eyes glowed brightly as she teased him, "For some things you never change."

"Glad to know that I'm a constant source of amusement to you," he murmured in return before he furrowed his brows and caught her in an intensive stare.

"Zelda," he whispered and lowered his head. She stiffened, and for a minute the world froze. He could hear her breath catch as soon as he brushed his lips against hers then pressed down to fully kiss her. It was slow and chaste and far too short for his liking, and when he pulled away he found that her eyes had closed. Languidly she blinked them open.

"No one else," he said firmly so the words would sink into her wayward mind. "Don't ever suggest such a thing again. I thought we made it clear yesterday that I love only you. Please don't doubt me."

He could see it in her saddened eyes, how hard it was for her to place her complete faith in him once more after he had abused her trust so horridly before. Eventually she gave a slight nod of agreement. It was small but he acknowledged that they were far from completely mending their relationship.

"We should carry on," she said after a brief silence. "I'd like to get off this mountain sooner rather than later. And if we want to make good headway to Castle Town we should leave as soon as possible."

Swallowing thickly, he squeezed her tightly around the waist. "Good. You agree to come back willingly. I feared that I'd have to drag you all the way to the castle," he joked then turned around and stooped into a crouch so she could grasp him around his neck, the sheath of the Master Sword pressed between their bodies.

It took no more than a few minutes to reach the top. It might seem a long climb, but if one had the body for it, it was rather easy. He pulled himself over the lip and made sure he was far from the ledge before setting Zelda down. The snow here was sparse and in some areas steaming, in particular around a broad stretch of soil before a concave opening in the rock. Heat streamed out from there, the smoldering innards of the volcano rumbling like the growling of a dragon, daring whoever was brave enough to enter and explore it's sweltering belly.

With what they were currently wearing they wouldn't last more than three minutes inside. The fairy fountain was further to the left. Their feet touched soil as they neared the caverns, a blast of heat hitting their faces as they passed the summit entrance. Zelda's hair whipped about her and she turned her head away, shielding her face with her arm.

Link took hold of her wrist as they came to the second cavern. Inside it was neither cold nor hot, the temperature regulated by the magical essence surrounding the grounds.

The spring rippled softly upon their arrival, light protruding from its depths.

Squeezing her wrist lightly, Link faced the fountain. "Great fairy, I ask for your assistance."

Nothing happened at first. From beside him, Zelda began to fidget, and inwardly Link worried that the great fairy wouldn't show. Then the surface started bubbling and something large shot up from the pool in a torrent of swirling water, accompanied by a jovial high-pitched laughing. Link found that he had to hold back an instinctive need to cringe.

The great fairy floated downward until her toes barely touched the surface of her pool. She graced them with a smile, pink hair floating in loose streams behind her as she spread her arms.

"Goddesses blessed," she greeted with a pleasant bell-like tone, "It has been long. It is an arduous journey to make in order to reach me so I am the less visited of my sisters. What favor shall I bestow upon thee?"

"Healing," replied Link, years of encounters with the scantily clad fairies had given him the required exposure to become desensitized to their tantalizing figures and he stared directly into her eyes. He recalled some ages ago he'd used to ogle the great fairies, mind not quite able to fathom how someone could appear as majestic and odd as they. He suspected that his eventual lack of reaction disappointed more than one of them.

Zelda stepped forward, a hand pressed against her chest. "And advice."

Link looked over at her and she gave him a small smile, shrugging. The great fairy merely spoke softly, her voice a tinkling of bells, "Ask and, if it is within my ability to do so, I shall gift it."

"Do you know anything of a man named Xerthos?" Zelda queried and at once Link shot his eyebrows up. He glanced at the fairy, curious of her reply.

The great fairy shook her head. "I know little of this man, but I do know of the power he has acquired."

In eagerness, Zelda took another step forward. "Please, tell us."

"It appeared once in Hyrule long ago. It wreaked devastation and poisoned the land. Back then it went by the name, Enandri." She focused her sparkling eyes on them, bright, yet somehow also severe. "You've encountered this evil before."

Whatever she had been about to say, Link hadn't expected this. He was hit by a wave of shock. Encountered it before? But when? The story Dasril had relayed to them did not strike a single chord with him. Someone else had to have lived it, it couldn't have been he and Zelda? Or perhaps they've been faced with another variation of it, but he couldn't detect anything in his memories that even shouted similarity.

He rubbed his brow, thinking deeply. "I don't remember ever…" He trailed off and exchanged a helpless glance with Zelda who appeared equally as dumbfounded.

"That can't have been us in the stories," she said, voice tinged with wary uncertainty. "This is only our ninth lifetime and in none of them were we ever faced against such a demon."

For all that they objected, the great fairy took none of it into consideration as she smiled and prompted. "A demon whose powers were sealed away by a _sage of light_? A _hero_ who arose from humble beginnings, the pit of slavery, to save the world?" she said coyly, placing entwined hands beneath her chin. "Sound familiar to you?"

It did. But Link was at a loss to figure out how. "I-I thought… but we don't remember…"

"There must be other powerful warriors out there," input Zelda thoughtfully, sending Link a look of apology to which he just shrugged good-naturedly. "Link can't be the only one who's ever brought peace to Hyrule."

"That you are right," agreed the great fairy, leaning forward. "There are other great men and women who have been titled hero. But… there is a difference. Whenever those from the demon realm are involved the Goddesses must partake in the battle and it is their champions who are sent to fight for them."

_Bloody Goddesses, can't do a thing themselves_, thought Link snidely. _Probably some law about interference._

"But Ganondorf is no demon," said Link pointedly, "He's Gerudo."

Again she smiled at them in that knowing way as if about to reveal a dark secret. "Are you certain of that? Have you not found it odd how he never truly dies, his soul merely rests, amassing power until he can once more reach out to this world."

"This is impossible!" he shot, still unwilling to believe it. "The triforce of power is the reason he doesn't die."

"And it is because his soul is demonic that he is able to cling to it as tightly as he does. A regular person would not have the strength of will to possess Power for as long as he has, it would have hidden away as soon as that person weakened or perished."

How could he believe that all this time they hadn't been fighting an extraordinarily powerful sorcerer, they've been battling a demon? Had Ganondorf been aware of what he was? And how had he come to be Gerudo? Link swore he'd tear his hair out if it turned out he'd never actually fought against the Thief King at full power.

"You've lived many more lives than either of you are aware of. Your souls are far older than you both realize," continued the fairy, "Especially yours, princess." Zelda looked up at her, startled. "Compared to you I may as well be a little sapling."

Zelda's eyes shone with wonder mixed with indignation. "I can't be that old."

The great fairy laughed and twirled, hair spiralling around her.

Link contrived to wrap his head around the possibilities of this. If it was true that they were far older than they'd initially thought and that they had lived several other lifetimes... "Is it…is it possible to reclaim these memories?" he posited, drawing a curious gaze from the fairy. "If we've lived these other lives then the knowledge could help us figure out how to defeat Lord Xerthos. If we've gone against this power before then surely we must have vanquished it somehow."

"We can discover how the sealing was done the first time and do it again," said Zelda, her excitement rising. "Oh, Link, there is a way for us to stop this!"

He could have pulled her into his arms and kissed her right there, but for the solemn sigh that the great fairy emitted. She held her smile, but it was far less cheerful than before.

"Know this," the fairy began, causing a hint of wariness to creep up into Link's chest. "You were never intended to remember. With each rebirth you were supposed to begin anew with no old knowledge of any other life weighed upon you. Both of you were supposed to start each life innocent and pure, instead of jaded and overwhelmed with so many troubling memories. No matter… you've both proved surprisingly resilient. This I suspect is attributed to the comfort you take with each other. It mitigates all the negative experiences you've encountered in your lives. A critical event took place in Nohansen, three-hundred and twenty-four, that altered the method of your rebirth and at seventeen you now gain the memories of each life up to that era."

It came to Link at once. "Nohansen, three-hundred and twenty-four? That was the time era, when we first defeated Ganondorf," he said, massaging the back of his neck. He looked over at Zelda. "You sent me back in time to relive my childhood. Could that have been it?"

"It must be," said Zelda, astounded at all they had discovered. "It altered the fabric and re-stitched the threads of fate."

The great fairy spun happily in place. "If you wish to remember everything you must summon the three golden fairies. They roam the world as incorporeal entities, however, you've no need to search them out, they'll come to you if you only ask them too."

Link grimaced with skepticism. If there were indeed three fairies who could conveniently restore the entirety of their memories… "How come they've never come to us before?"

"You did not know about them and so did not know to call to them. They are servants to the Goddess Hylia and are sacred to her."

"How do we call them?" asked Zelda.

"If you truly wish to remember they'll become aware of you. Think of them and they will come." The fairy motioned to the water with a graceful arc of her arm. "Now, as for your first request… Princess, place your hands in my pool."

Mind still brimming with all this new knowledge Link had almost forgotten about the initial reason for their visit. Zelda did as told and without removing her bandages, slipped her hands into the water. Link swiftly moved to crouch beside her when she released a pained hiss.

"Zelda?" he called worriedly.

She shook her head, face strained as she watched the glowing water. "It's fine… just burns…"

He rubbed a soothing hand along her back, wishing he could bear some of the pain for her.

"T'is sacred water in which you immerse your hands," said the fairy. "Although some scars will stay permanent, you shall recover from the damage."

Valiantly, Zelda endured the burning, eyes narrowed and steadfast. Gradually the tenseness of her shoulders declined and she pulled her hands out. With untold purpose she unwound the bandages and dropped them to the ground then stared at her hands in awe.

Link snagged one of her hands and studied it thoroughly. The skin had been rejuvenated, moistened and no longer cracked. Pressing the pads of his fingers down he could feel that her bones and tendons were back in place with no more signs of being ridged with odd bumps and furls. The redness was gone, replaced by pure white skin with a few faded pink lines that ran as scars along her palms and fingers.

He watched fondly as she silently counted each nail as if she couldn't quite believe that they were all back and properly formed.

"Thank you, great fairy," Zelda spoke breathily at length, voice filled with emotion.

"It is an honor," said the fairy before reaching out with her arms. "You are both tired and weary, allow me to restore your health."

Magic swirled around them, encasing them in its soothing embrace and erasing all their sustained wounds and bruises. Link felt the swell of energy fill him, reigniting his muscles with renewed strength. He hadn't realized just how sore he'd been before now.

"My fairies inhabit many places in Hyrule. Place them in a bottle and take them with you, and whenever you are near death or in need of healing they shall refresh you."

He frowned, irritated. He knew how it worked. All this he'd heard countless times before. It would be more convenient if she just supplied them with her fairies now instead of making him have to go look for them.

"Come to me or my sisters whenever you are weary," she said in parting, "We are more than happy to assist."

With another tinkling laugh she spun and submerged herself in the pool.

He watched as the ripples faded then looked over at Zelda to see her with her hands outstretched before her as she continuously flexed them, turning them this way and that as they bore her harsh scrutiny.

"It feels strange. Like when your fingers become numb from cold and it's harder to move them." She bent down and retrieved a knife from her boot. Grasping it firmly, fingers coiled tight around the grip, she gave the air a few slashes, shuffling forward with each jab.

Link took out his sword and during her next slash he stuck it out, blade ringing as it met with the knife. Upon contact Zelda's hold loosened and her weapon plummeted to the ground. She held her shaking wrist as she gazed down at the knife, face one of dismay.

Sheathing his sword, Link crouched to pick it up then took her hand in his free one. "It's called rehabilitation," he said pointedly, handing the knife back to her and closing her fingers over the hilt. "You haven't had the chance to use your hands properly in a while. No doubt the muscles have weakened. It shouldn't take too long to get them back in working order."

"How bothersome," she groused, resting her head against his arm as he slung it over her shoulders, leading them outside.

* * *

><p>Coming down the summit was much easier than going up, mainly because she glided most of the way, leaving Link in the dust and watching with amusement as he clambered down hastily trying in vain to keep up with her. She was tempted to taunt him but that seemed a childish act, considering she was supposedly who knew how many millennia old. She did send him a harsh scowl when at one point he threw a snowball at her from a ledge and laughed when she tried to throw one back up but missed far off the mark. Then he'd gotten a devious look in his eyes and began shoving down an entire snowdrift. She'd turned tail and run full pelt the rest of the way to the Goron city. Unlike him, she didn't have to fear slipping or sliding. Roc's cape helped her to keep her feet and caught her whenever she did slide over a ledge so she could glide down to the next.<p>

She was breathless when she reached the city, chest fluttering with giddiness, feet treading heavily in the snow. It would take Link a little longer to catch up. Looking down at the city, she was surprised at what she saw.

Her eyes immediately caught sight of a group of Gorons as they cornered a trio of Hylians in a semi circle against the wall of the enclosure. They fisted their hands, shifting their hefty masses while swinging their arms and puffing out their chests, clear Goron intimidation.

She beheld the Hylians and recognized them instantly then quickly bounded down the stairs to interfere.

"Wait!" she called as the Gorons charged in to grab the Hylians only to be thwarted as the Hylians ducked and swerved expertly out of the way, too fast for the hulking brutes.

One of the Gorons spotted her and crossed his arms as she approached. "Midraga! I am glad to see you've returned. Was your journey to the summit with the strange Hylian boy a success?"

"Chief Darbo," she huffed, straining to regain her breath, "What's going on?" She swiped her hair back as a flurry tossed it in her face.

The chief jerked his thumb at the Hylians with a look of righteous contempt. "These intruders thought they could sneak in without our noticing, but after that strange boy came we doubled our watch. You never know. The next person trying to slink their way inside our domain may not be a decent sort as that boy turned out to be."

It was true, he hadn't been pleased when they'd revealed that Link had been creeping through their domain without their knowledge. Since then they'd begun referring to him as the strange boy. Anyone they did not consider a brother or sister was 'strange' or 'stranger' to them.

"I assure you, that these people are a decent sort," she placated, hoping that Darbo wasn't in one of his foul moods.

Darbo blinked as he regarded her. "Really?"

She withheld a sigh. "Yes. Now will you please call off your Gorons? They've been terrorized enough."

Placing two fingers in his mouth, Darbo gave a piercing whistle, instantly drawing the Goron's attention away from the intruders – er – Hylians. "Settle down, boys! These twerps belong to Midraga."

As one, the Goron's lowered their arms and backed away, amidst discontented grumblings.

Zelda jogged past the barricade of Gorons to reach the Hylians. Coming to a stop, before her stood Aiden, Wist and Amy. Aiden wore a bashful expression while the other two were more seriously upset.

Upon seeing her, Wist at once bent into a low bow, his formal upraising demanding he show his respect. "Princess Zelda!"

She jumped at the call and quickly waved her hands to hush him. "Please do not refer to me as such. The Gorons do not know my true identity."

Wist was swiftly delivered a sharp whack from Amy, punishing him for his thoughtless actions.

Zelda sighed, wishing Link was here to deal with them herself. "I do not know what all Link has told you, but just to inform you, there are not many who know about my existence."

"We sort of figured that," drawled Aiden, smiling at her whimsically. "What with never hearing of you until recently. What intrigues us is this rough past you share with Link."

Zelda paused and blinked. "Excuse me?" Rough past…? Had Link…

Aiden gestured as he sought to elaborate. "How does a princess become acquainted with a lowly commoner like Link? And why is it that the rest of the world is ignorant about this princess? Were you lost at birth and somehow ended up growing up in the same village as him? Were you… actually, that's all I got."

Nervously, she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Er – um…"

It appeared that Link hadn't divulged the full truth concerning her. They hadn't formulated a cover story for her yet, and she didn't know how Link wanted to go explaining things to his friends. She would rather discuss this with him before fabricating a story to satisfy them.

Aiden suddenly jerked his head as a flying snowball smashed into the back of it.

Their attentions were drawn to the brim of the enclosure where Link stood, tossing another snowball in his hand. He hurled down the stairs, bypassing a conversing group of Gorons, before striding up to them, snow crunching beneath his boots akin to the sound of snapping bones.

"Leave her be, Aiden, you have no right to ask," he growled through his teeth as he reached them. He vindictively decided to pelt the other snowball at the youngster for good measure.

Aiden received it directly in the face and he spluttered with curses as he wiped the snow off. "Bloody fine! No pestering, I got it!"

Link narrowed his eyes at them, hand reaching over his shoulder to rest on the grip of his sword. "And you two," he said accusingly to Wist and Amy, who both discreetly looked away, "I noticed that neither of you reprimanded him. Actually, it looked like you had no intention of doing anything. Are you all that curious to know about me?"

Wist cleared his throat and avoided Link's gaze while Amy simply shrugged, casting her eyes innocently at him. "I'm sorry, I can't respond since I'm obliged not to lie to my superiors."

Link bent to scoop another handful of snow and started to mold it into a compact sphere. Amy and Wist both eyed him warily as he nodded at them. "I value your honesty. But I don't value your silence!" He threw it and would have maimed Wist in the face had he not slouched and raised his arms in a defensive cross.

_Violent as ever_, Zelda mused. It had always been like this. If he were not out killing something he'd be somewhere else trouncing an opponent to shame.

Taking note of the position of the sun high above them, Zelda decided that they had wiled away enough time.

"Link, we should be going," she inserted before he could splatter them anymore with snow.

Link's face became grave as he nodded then veered a glare at his friends. "You're all idiots for ignoring my orders and following me."

Amy scoffed. "You never came back, how were we to know you didn't end up Goron dust."

He growled, annoyed. "Alright, you need to get back to Kakariko and pack your things. And get the horses ready. We leave by midday."

Aiden's jaw dropped. "But-but we just finished climbing this Goddess forsaken mountain!"

He smiled unmercifully at them. "Well now you're about to go back down. And if any of you lag behind be sure to know that Brula shall hear about it."

At that moment, Zelda could have sworn all three of them turned a couple shades paler than what was normal. Amy and Wist uttered not a word of protest, well-used to taking orders, while Aiden obeyed but didn't even try to hide his loud grumbling.

Zelda felt a large hand take hold of hers before she was suddenly pulled along into the Goron's caverns, once again surrounded by it's heated atmosphere. After the first few turns she was made to lead the way as Link became thoroughly lost.

"They don't make tunnels like they used to," he griped as they walked.

Zelda peered up at him. "I thought those were your friends," she said as she took them through the main room where a number of Gorons had assembled, either to socialize or relax. Many waved at her as she passed by and she smiled back at them.

"They are, but they're also my squad," Link replied tersely, "I give them orders and they obey."

It appeared that Link had no compulsions against pulling rank on them, if that earlier display was anything to go by. That was a trait that came to him with ease, his impatience lending to his ability to do so. As for her, she'd always been hesitant about ordering any of her friends around. Servants, guards, the nobility even, yes, but close friends… it never sat well with her.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the guest suite reserved for her personal use. Dasril was there, sitting before a roaring fire, playing with his magic as he created different forms and figures out of the flame. Close to him the two Sheikah circled like a pair of sharks. The moment Link and Zelda entered the room, the shadows shot across the floor, Impa settling in her shadow as Laval sank into Link's.

Impa's voice rose in her mind, plagued with a remorseful tone. _**Princess… I…**_

"You need not apologize, Impa," she responded softly to her Sheikah guardian. "I thank you for looking out for me."

The Sheikah remained silent, but Zelda could tell from the vibe she let off that she was immensely relieved.

Dasril stood once he saw them and, taking a deep breath, inclined his head. "All is well, I presume?"

Squeezing her hand tighter, Link frowned at the lord. "It is."

The minister nodded. "Right." Dasril's eyes flicked down to their entwined hands before staring past them at the wall.

Their behavior toward each other surprised her. She had somewhat feared their reactions upon being put in close proximity to one another, it was apparent that there was a great measure of hatred between them. As it was, this could have turned out far messier than it had. Despite all that, the mounting tension could be cut with a knife.

She broke the silence before that tension could reach unbearable levels. "We're leaving, Dasril."

"Ah," he responded simply, albeit tersely. "I shall go prepare then. I assume that we return to the castle?"

"Yes," she answered, worried about his response, but he merely nodded and, without another word, left to retrieve his belongings.

It was risky of them. Zellandus knew of his treachery. The last thing of the castle Dasril had seen was the inside of a dungeon cell. For all they knew he might be heading straight back to that cell, or worse. As much as he had hurt her by betraying her, she did not want to see him killed. He had been dear to her those two years they'd been living together, and now he was truly remorseful for what he had done. Very few people could claim genuine remorse, change was impossible for most people, but Dasril had proven his sincerity thus far. He'd been willing to rot in the dungeons for her, he had obeyed every order she'd given him from therein without question, and he still looked out for her safety. His love for her indeed ran deep.

"Link, what will happen to him," she asked with slight hesitation, fearing the answer. Despite rationality, despite the fact that she had every right to loathe him and wish upon him the foulest of torments, she did not want Dasril to die.

Link flexed his jaw, staring after the minister. "The prince has left you to decide his fate." He flicked his ears irately before shaking his head. "It doesn't matter. Whatever you choose, Zellandus will agree with."

_But you might not_, she thought solemnly. Sparing Dasril's life would become yet another thing he'd resent her for.

A few hours later found them all gathered at the base of Death Mountain, packs fastened to the saddles of the four horses that Link and his squad had brought with them. She'd said her goodbyes to Chief Darbo and the other Gorons, and thanked them for their hospitality, almost earning her another bear hug which she strategically dodged. Chief Darbo had been unsurprised at her desire for a quick departure. He was used to Zelda popping in and out randomly whenever she was nearby.

The plan was that they would ride out until they reached the waypost midway between Castle Town and Kakariko and spend the night there before continuing on in the morning. If the flurries didn't start up again they'd arrive at the castle by early evening.

Link mounted Epona then reached down to pull her up in front of him. He kept a steady arm around her waist as Zelda leaned into him, sitting sidesaddle as she gripped the saddle horn. That she would ride with him was a given, neither wanted to be apart, and neither she nor Link would allow her to ride with any of the others. The difficulty was where to place Dasril.

"My lord Foulkes," said Wist suddenly, holding onto the reigns of his horse while patting it on the cheek. Dasril flitted hooded eyes over, and Zelda suspected if he had his walking stick with him he'd be leaning heavily on it. "Might I suggest that you ride with Aiden. His horse is far stronger than mine, she would barely notice the presence of two people on her back."

Aiden coughed from where he was taking shelter from the wind behind a jutting rock, and scratched his neck. "Actually, my horse has suffered a sprained ankle recently and I don't want to overburden her."

"There isn't a sprain anymore," argued Wist, pointedly.

"You just can't see it. And she's still limping."

"Arabella is laden with our heaviest packs. She's sure to keel with any excess weight."

Amy groaned and cut in, tugging her stallion forward. "Is this some way of indirectly offending lord Foulkes?"

The men were hasty to shake their heads no, both seemingly appalled at the very idea. "Nothing like that," said Wist, casting a glance at Dasril who didn't seem at all concerned over their debate. "It's only…"

Amy quirked her eyebrow as she formed her own conclusions. "You don't want to ride with a man? Is that it?"

"A powerful man, at that," added Aiden. As a minister he held vast influence in the Hyrulean court. His status placed him well above his title and above his peers and other courtiers. Zelda supposed it could be awkward riding with one's superior.

The raven head rolled her eyes. "He's a peer," she said to Wist, with little effect as he simply averted his head to the side. At last she threw up her hands and snapped, "Fine." She directed her gaze to Dasril. "Lord Foulkes, if you would."

Wist and Aiden were quick to swing into the saddles of their horses, kicking them forward as soon as they were seated.

Amy glared at them then mounted her own, holding her horse steady as Dasril swung up behind her.

Epona shuffled in a circle as Link brought her around. By the firmness of the arm gripping her, Zelda could tell that he was clearly annoyed. Wisely though, he didn't involve himself. It was as though he wanted nothing at all to do with Dasril, even if it was indirect.

"Are we all set then?" Without waiting for their replies he spurred Epona into a gallop, snow kicking up beneath her hooves as she shot down the road, soon followed by the others.

They stuck to the road where the lay was relatively flat and there was a smaller chance for the horses to stumble. Zelda's cape was wrapped taut around her. With the wind hissing in her face it was harder to keep warm. She appreciated Link's firm body against her, emanating a delightful heat that she all but lapped up.

Not too long into their travel a cart appeared before them, pulled by a stumbling nag as it headed their way. Zelda caught sight of the figure on the rider's seat and urgently tugged at Link's arm.

"Link, we need to stop for a moment!"

He looked down at her, perplexed. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Please stop!"

He yanked on the reigns and Epona whinnied in dissent as she careened to an abrupt halt, tossing her head in annoyance. Amy shot out a colorful swear as her horse nearly collided into Epona, managing to swerve to the side just in time. The others all slowed down more gradually, horses huffing and snorting as they pranced in place. Zelda paid them no heed and, without any preamble, slid to the ground, waving over to the wagon.

The driver pulled up beside her and a furry reddish-brown pine marten stared at her from the seat. It squeaked in an animalistic dialect that she couldn't understand, however this did not deter her.

"Is Apple with you?" she asked, glancing over at the piles of furniture, cauldrons, books, and vials, all roped together and spelled to not fall off the cart. The pine marten clicked its teeth in answer, but soon there was a whip of air as something descended from the sky.

"Who's stopping my cart!"

Hovering on her broom in true witchlike fashion, Apple scowled at the group of horsemen ready to tear them a new one before she caught sight of Zelda and any anger she displayed transformed to delightful anticipation. "Oooh, well if it isn't my favorite customer, heh heh!"

"Apple, what is this?" she asked, indicating the cart and the various items it carried.

"Oh this?" said Apple flippantly, soaring over to hover above the cart. "Sorry to say but we're moving the business. Too much competition around here. Going to start someplace new."

"You're leaving Hyrule?" she asked silently. Although snippy, the witch, like Dasril, had also been someone she'd considered dear to her during her travels.

Apple shot her a glib look. "Dark times are coming. Very dark times. Going to beat the rush, we are. Don't want to get caught up in all this evil nonsense when it comes."

"Evil? Dark times?" piped up Aiden, listening with the rest to the conversation. "Do you mean the Augurer? Is he going to declare war on Hyrule?"

"It's what lady Brula has feared," said Amy with foreboding. Seated on the horse behind her, Dasril's face took on a grim expression.

The witch bobbed her head. "No stopping it. Best to leave before it happens. Going to be a bloody business. Been trying to spare others I've come across, told them to make for the hills, but none believed me. Drat!"

Zelda felt a swell of dread pit itself in her stomach. "I wish you luck," she said solemnly, face rapidly turning pale. "Goddess speed, and I hope you find success in other lands."

Apple smiled sweetly at Zelda, her wrinkles becoming more pronounced. "You're a good girl, you are. Foolish, but good." Her face transformed suddenly into a stern sneer as she jabbed a bony finger at Link. "But that boy is another matter! He's liable to stupidity, and for Din's sake, keep him away from the sugar. It makes him grouchy." She went back to smiling, gripping her broomstick as she pulled it up. "And you both have long happy lives together!"

Zelda blinked in astonishment, shooting Link a covert glance before gazing back at the witch. "Ah, I will – we will…"

"Good! Eee hee hee!" Apple cackled then soared off into the distance.

The pine marten flicked the reigns and the nag started on the road again. They watched as the cart slowly trundled by.

"I've never met a witch before," mused Wist, craning his neck to spot the broom veering overhead.

Zelda's brows furrowed in concern. _No stopping it…_ She flinched as Epona crept up to her and nudged her shoulder with her flank.

Standing at the horse's side, she reached up and held onto Link as he pulled her back into the saddle.

His voice was breathy as he whispered lowly to her, "Did she just say lives?"

"She did," Zelda replied.

Even more startling than the news of the oncoming darkness, was Apple's apparent confidence that she and Link were meant for each other. It made her insides flutter and her heart beat that much faster.

Her thoughts took a more dismal path as she pondered on that first bit of information. Dark times were coming… and they couldn't stop it…

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><p><strong>AN: So there's some Ocarina of Time stuff here. The layout of the land you can imagine resembling the Twilight Princess map, but for other things I just include whatever aspects of the games that I like. This story has a mix of everything.**

**Zelda's still feeling fragile and uncertain, a common reaction for women who've been mistreated in some way. But she'll get better. I'm all into character development. And Link too is relearning how to act around her. Slowly but surely they're adapting to each other. Love is never easy.**

**Twokeyz: Very astute of you. Don't worry, you'll find out what happened to Reth in the next chapter. Did he truly perish or does he yet still live...? *shrugs mysteriously***

**Dasril is really becoming a sad character, isn't he. He can't die yet, I have plans for him, but I won't reveal any of that here. **

**Thanks for pointing out that error. I went back and fixed it (I actually changed the word I used). And that thing about the universal languages of the world, so true! That's why I included it, because I see it all the time. Blue goggles and pink goggles are perfect terms for it (although I want the blue! I'm not too fond of pink, lol).**

**Van . Blake: It was sort of intentional. The forest based the fake Zelda off the real one, so of course there'd be some similarities in how they'd react. Glad you spotted that.**

**Dark: Well, I'm almost at 500 reviews so it's halfway there. I never really anticipated reaching a thousand ^^' **

**Thanks for reading!**


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: There's harsh swearing in this chapter, as well as mentions of torture! Beware!**

**Thanks everybody for reviewing: Doodle Ladle, OverlordOfGrammaticCorrections, Wolf, Death Waltz, diabolical . me, 11lol11, Jacie2020, sincerely lola, PrincessPeach, Freyax, A True NaZaMi Fan, ObscurityProject, Kukiel, Cameron . 007, vrave1, Bloodspire, Guest21, mizuki akazawa, Prometheus17, Finvarra Faerie, Twokeyz, Astercia, DarknessFathom, Beforethedawnbreaks, Ancient . tree, Gina, schniedragon88, tetraforce theory, 11Ilyad, ThE 4SsAsSiN 21, Mike and black dragon sorcerer.**

**And congrats to Cameron . 007 for being the 500****th**** reviewer!**

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><p><span><strong>Chapter 29<strong>

They were admitted into Castle Town shortly after the midday hour. Once within the gates Zelda slid off of Epona and turned to gaze over the crowd of people happily bustling along, paying little heed to their small company of riders.

Stables and taverns flanked the streets, providing easy and quick accommodations for travelers. Further along were shops and special trades with residences on the upper floors, and beyond those many townhouses lined the streets.

A light dusting of snow drifted from the sky and layered the shingled rooftops, although it was not quite enough to carpet the streets. Zelda was contented to see her citizens bundled warmly, even the poorest among them had been donated a blanket or two to protect them against the biting cold.

Any other time and the scene would have been a favorable one, but it didn't take an expert to detect the subtle cloud of gloom hovering over their heads. This was no time of peace, but it was not a time of fear yet either. Word of the Augurer kept them on edge. There were twice as many soldiers wandering about than was the norm and to those who were more observant they'd note the siege weapons that had been brought out and mounted on the battlements. Only the youngest among them were spared from this plight of trepidation, clueless in their childish innocence.

It was a passive reaction that made her scrutinize their defensive measures, instinctively picking out gaps and weaknesses that enemies could exploit. She'd pinpointed three possible escape routes by the time she heard Link dismounting behind her. Epona's hooves clopped on the flagstones as he led her by the harness.

She looked up at him and offered a small smile. His presence was a great comfort as much as it was a weight on her mind. It was all tug and push, one part of her wanted him near, desired his love like nothing else, and yet another part of her doubted, that part was determined that he not have a place in her life. She had endured so much by his hand. Wasn't it enough? And yet he was the balm that soothed these scars on her heart and subdued the burning of her soul. It put her mind in constant war and she did not know how to settle it.

Had they achieved closure? No, not yet. They had reconciled but there still remained this gap between them, this gap called mistrust. This entire time he'd been keeping a steady eye on her as if to anticipate when she'd next bolt.

"Welcome home," Link said softly beside her.

It made her smile in a discreet way. "I've always been home. As long as I'm in Hyrule, I am home." She glanced coyly at him. "Although, I admit to missing this particular piece of Hyrule more than others."

She had meant it to be lightly humorous but by his grim expression as he looked down at her, he hadn't taken it that way.

He surveyed her for a moment then cast his eyes aside. "Better than most places, I suppose," he responded lowly.

He put it so darkly. It wasn't difficult to decipher the thoughts roiling around in his mind, especially after these recent and undesirable events. Hyrule may be home, but there were some places that even she detested.

As much as it grieved her, Hyrule was not all as it was made out to be. The Goddesses' Golden Lands it was called, and yet for centuries it has been ravaged by war and terror. Many battles had been fought in her country and more blood had been spilled upon her soil than in any other land she knew of. Yet they still called it Golden.

The others were quick to dismount, stretching their legs after hours of continuous riding. It only took them seconds for the aches to leave them as they carried along down the road chatting, their diligent eyes peeled as they perceived everything around them. There was no doubt about it; Link's little band of riders had experience to their commendation. They fit right in with the hustle of town life, but they were also covertly alert to their surroundings. She had to admit, the Sheikah warrior within her was impressed.

Dasril was another matter. He may be trained in combat, but there was nothing to acclaim him as vigilant in any form. Despite his unfavorable situation, he walked with the proud confident gait common among the nobility. He stared straightforward and barely glanced at his surroundings, too high and dignified to give even remote consideration to the peasantry. It was clear he'd never had to watch his back before.

Many people recognized the Minister of foreign affairs and scurried out of his way like skittering spiders, leaving him plenty of room to go about his way unimpeded. If they were astounded that he walked on foot instead of taking his coach they made no mention of it. Zelda remembered once riding through town with him in his carriage, seated on the red velvet cushions, dark curtains pulled down and obscuring them from sight. It seemed that as soon as the people saw the Foulkes crest, a simple white feather laid across a round gilded mirror, they hastened to the side as if fearing the carriage would barrel into them were they to remain still. Concerned, she had confronted Dasril about this but had discovered it was not due to any form of abuse, but merely because of his short temper. Apparently it was legendary among the townsfolk.

Link looked to be unnerved, letting Dasril roam about freely. His hands twitched as if aching to cuff him in chains, but instead he could only keep glancing to the side at him, ears erect and listening, maintaining constant awareness of the lord's every move.

He was being overly paranoid. Dasril obeyed her now, and even if he did run he'd be caught within seconds.

There was no dallying among the stalls as they passed the market, no detours or delays. They cut straight through to the castle, situated at the northernmost point of Castle Town.

The horses were delivered to the stable hands once they reached the massive wooden doors of the gatehouse. Zelda left Link's side and strode out onto the bailey, looking up at the towering array of stone and marble. It would have never occurred to her a few days ago that she'd ever be given the chance to return here when not under concealment. Not in this life at least.

It was nostalgic, really. And ironic that such a place was the setting of her fondest and most loathsome memories. Just like her land, this castle was full of life and death. It had always been the last stage where they would finally encounter Ganondorf and seal him away until the next life.

A shiver ran through her as she caught sight of one of the tallest towers, the roof flat and bordered for viewing. It was at that peak where her lifeblood had spilled, where Ganondorf's tainted sword had found its mark on her abdomen and pierced straight through. She could still feel the cold bite of metal as it slid through her flesh, the agony as her organs were shredded, hot red liquid seeping down her front and back in great wells.

Unconsciously her hand moved to the area, probing for the torn flesh. She hadn't the scar to commemorate the event yet still she could practically feel the phantom spasms of pain and the numbing sensation that had soon followed.

Forcefully, she tore her eyes away.

Despite its tragedies, it was the center of her life. She had always lived and grown up within these walls, blood drenched though they may be. But that just proved to all that Hyrule could endure for the world. It held strength that other countries did not.

Her eyes immediately picked out the guest towers, the windows of the council chamber, the royal wing and solarium on the east side of the castle where she and Zellandus had liked to spend their afternoons when not occupied with their studies. Idly, she wondered where Zellandus might be right now. That single thought brought on a surge of excitement. He knew about her and she could not wait to see him, her little brother.

Not even the sight of the many nobles littering the grounds could put a damper on her mood. It appeared that her castle was overcome with high born pests. …That was curious… It hadn't been this clustered the last time she was here.

"It's been like this since a few months ago," said Link, coming up from behind her.

She glanced at him over her shoulder. "Why?"

His bright blue orbs softened as they gazed down at her. "They're waiting for the true heir to arrive. They're waiting for you, Zelda."

Her heart skipped a beat as her muscles tensed at that proclamation. Of course, that the blessing ceremony failed for Zellandus meant that she would have to take up the mantle as queen. But did she want to? She hadn't thought about it, honestly. Ever since she'd left over two years ago, she had firmly believed that Zellandus would become king. She hadn't even considered that he'd be refused – no matter his deficit qualities, she had been at least certain his few positive ones would outweigh them.

"I can't wait to see their faces when they see the true heir has arrived," exclaimed Aiden brightly, falling into procession as they entered the castle. "All those in lineup to undergo the ceremony are in for a rough surprise."

Wist leveled a stern glare at the younger man. "Speak any louder and it won't be a surprise anymore," he hissed lowly, earning a bashful shrug from Aiden.

"I had heard that there was debate," said Amy offhandedly. "That some of the greater houses are discussing about inheritance if the heir is not found. They speak of instating a more suitable regent."

There was a low scoff from the rear as Dasril muttered to himself, "What nonsense."

Fury burned inside Zelda at the very notion of it. How dare they! Just because they believed Zellandus to be whimsical and nonchalant when it came to matters of the state did not mean they could forcefully depose him. She would not allow it!

Link held the door open for her and she glided through, sending him a disapproving look as he strode past immediately after her, letting it shut for the others. Aiden shoved open the door and glared at the back of Link's head, while Wist and Amy merely rolled their eyes. Dasril seemed unmoved by the act, although his piercing gaze was enough to reveal his displeasure.

"That won't be happening," Link said coldly. "Now that you're here."

Mentally she winced. "Link, I don't think that now's a good time for any of that."

He looked at her as they climbed the great mezzanine, perplexed. "What do you mean?"

She heaved a large breath and considered him wryly. "Apple said that a darkness was coming. I think if the ceremony is to take place that it should wait."

"Well, I think not. As queen you'll have access to unlimited resources, you'll have full control of the army."

Her eyebrows shot up. Now who was thinking in terms of pros and cons? In their last life he hadn't cared for the benefits a high position could grant him, but now he encouraged it of her.

He smiled as he took her hand in his, his voice lowered to keep private from the others. "I've seen you lead armies into battle. You were born to lead, and this time I'll be there for you. You have my support and devotion."

If only it were that simple. Even an army had been no match against Ganondorf, a demon made human, how could it measure up to a human made demon? It wouldn't. Not with a million men could they succeed. Only with the gifts of the Goddesses could they even hope.

"Zellandus already has full control of the military," she intoned shortly. "And none would follow a leader they do not know. Think of it. I show up out of the blue, with no great house or family to back me, and assume the throne. It would raise suspicions. They don't remember me."

"But that can be easily fixed," replied Link.

They followed the next corridor to a stairwell to the third floor and were now travelling down a secluded hallway that even the nobility daren't wander. It was patrolled by numerous guards, all of whom exchanged brief nods with Link as he strode past. Soon they reached the council room and paused just outside the doors.

"Once you destroy the focus of your spell their memories of you will return," he said comfortingly.

_Oh, Link_, she thought fondly of his optimism. How can she expect to garner the respect of her people when she'd deceived them so foully? They wouldn't want someone on the throne who had willingly abandoned them, all for selfishness. Every order she gave would be put to question, every tiny act scrutinized. It would take years to forgive and they'd never forget.

Link rapped on the door then let himself in. If her thoughts weren't already preoccupied, Zelda would have been appalled at his boldness. He could very well be interrupting an important council meeting.

And it appeared he had. There at the end of the table, lounging in typical bored fashion on the monarch's seat, Zellandus gazed with half-lidded eyes at the ceiling as Lord Kincaid spoke rapidly and paced the floor. Lord Perrington was present as well, along with Lady Delmont and Lord Ivain.

At the sound of the door opening, the ministers all snapped their heads towards them. Lord Perrington looked to be on the verge of blustering loudly before suddenly his face grew pale, his puffy cheeks sagging and eyes bulging. Lord Kincaid, however, had no qualms with directing his fiery rage at them.

"Link, you insolent boy!" he spat. "How dare you waltz in here without permission! How dare you interrupt a council meeting! Have you no respect!"

Link for his part did little but smile connivingly at the minister before he faced Zellandus and bent in a low bow. "Your highness. I apologize for my rude disruption, but I thought this was something that could not wait."

Sighing heavily, Zellandus' eyes roved from their current orientation staring at the ceiling to shift over to Link, displaying a similar dispassionate glance. He took in the group returned from their missions before his gaze settled on Zelda.

Identical blue eyes clashed and Zelda could literary see the recognition flash through his. So intent was their locked stare that neither royal noticed the passes the minister's threw at them, glancing back and forth between one and the other, assumptions being made and astonished conclusions quickly formed. It was hard to hide how similar in appearance they looked to one another.

At length, Zellandus nodded. "You're right. Delivering my batch of winterpine tea leaves takes precedence before anything else."

Lord Kincaid abruptly spluttered while the other ministers all looked at their prince queerly. Lord Perrington had his eyes to the floor, his face still pale, a thin sheen of sweat building on his brow.

Curiously Zelda noted Dasril staring at Lord Perrington from her periphery before abruptly looking away. Had they had an altercation when last they met?

"Your highness! Tea!?" gasped Kincaid disbelievingly, the only one of the ministers who was oblivious to the exchange. "At a time like this!"

Stiffly, Zellandus stood, hands braced on the table. "You are all dismissed. We shall reconvene on the morrow. And I'm clearing my schedule for the rest of the day. Brula can take over, I'm sure she'll be delighted."

Lord Kincaid cast indignant glances at the other ministers, who curiously, left without question. Lord Perrington ambled hastily from the room without looking at anyone. Pursing his lips, Kincaid bowed then followed, doing little to cover his displeasure.

A moment passed after the door shut. Zelda ignored the others in the room and slowly approached Zellandus, who had his head bowed, fringe concealing his eyes as he stared at the wooden patterns on the table.

This was it.

She took a deep breath, "Zellandus…I…"

The second she spoke his head snapped up and in two great strides he was before her, heaving her off the ground. Zelda yelped and threw her arms around his neck as he buried his face in her shoulder.

"Zelda! Zelda Zelda Zelda," he continued muttering her name and she relaxed as he slowly placed her feet back on the floor and was forced to hunch over in order to continue hugging her tightly.

She smiled and embraced him fondly, soothing her hand over his back as she used to do whenever he was upset as a child. "I'm sorry, Zellandus."

He abruptly grasped her by the shoulders and pushed her back, glaring at her with ferocious frenzy. "You're sorry? You're sorry! What does that mean, may I ask?" he growled at her. "How dare you invade my house, interrupt my stupid and trivial meeting with my councilors, and assault my person, all to tell me that you're sorry! Well, you're not forgiven! Goddessdammit, Zelda! I should put you over my knee!"

His grip on her shoulders tightened as he trembled, bottom lip quivering before he brought her close and dove his head once again in her hair, hiding his face.

"You're such a meanie, Zelda," he sobbed feebly. "You left me. Why do you always have to be so mean to me? I hate you."

She smiled tenderly and returned to patting his back as she felt something moist land on her shoulder. "There there. I'm back now, and I won't ever leave you again."

He sniffed, his fingers entangling into her hair as he clasped her close to him. "Promise?"

"I promise," she replied softly, eyes closing as she leaned her head against his.

Guilt welled up within her at the thought of just how lonely and abandoned he must have felt. Granted, he wasn't supposed to know of her, but she could only imagine the pain he had endured when he had regained his memories of her. She considered herself fortunate that he did not outright despise her. Very fortunate…

"You've grown taller," she said silently to him as he sobbed harder. "And your voice is much deeper. More steady and mature. I won't be able to tease you about it breaking midsentence anymore."

"Meanie," he muttered, causing her to give a short laugh.

He released a shaky breath and shuddered against her but didn't let go. Not that Zelda minded, only they did have an audience. She could practically sense Link's impatience from across the room.

"Zellandus, you can let me go now," she said, hand drifting through his hair in a comforting manner.

His voice was muffled as he replied, "I can't. They'll see my tears. A man doesn't cry."

"Crying isn't a weakness," she told him lowly. "Only the strong may cry and not fear it being used against him."

He gave one last sniff before he pulled away, holding her at arm's length. "Fine," he said, standing tall and positively glaring at the other men and woman in the room, tears streaming freely down his face, cheeks pink and flushed with emotion. "I admit I'm crying and I don't bloody well care!"

Wist nodded and clapped. "Well said."

Amy and Aiden were smirking widely while Link simply rolled his eyes. Dasril remained unobtrusive as possible in the background, a scowl on his face.

"How heartwarming," an elderly voice said from the door.

Their attention was drawn to the two new figures as they entered the room, having slipped quietly through the doors while they were distracted. Brula hobbled in, cane clacking as she walked, as Byron ambled behind her, a small smile framing his face.

"You really did it, hero," he beamed at Link, who in turn looked at Zelda affectionately.

Her heart fluttered under his gaze before her focus shifted to Brula who came right up to her, lips spread in a warm smile. "Bend down so I can properly greet you," she said in her wizened voice.

Stepping away from Zellandus, who hastily wiped his eyes when no one noticed, Zelda did as requested and kneeled down to the same height as the drastically shorter woman, ready to receive her embrace. She was not at all expecting what happened next.

SMACK!

Brula pulled back her hand as she fought against hitting her again. "You imbecilic child! Do you have any idea what your act of foolishness has cost us?" Brula's once welcoming features had suddenly became savage, her Sheikah eyes flaring like hot coals.

Stunned, Zelda touched a tentative hand to the tender mark on her cheek and sighed. Brula had a right to be mad at her. After all, she had caused a lot of strife for the old woman. For everyone it seemed.

"Now hold on!" growled Zellandus in a darkened tone, taking a menacing step forward. "That was completely uncalled for!"

"Lady Brula!" called Byron, near gaping. "To lay a hand on her highness like that...!"

If it had been Queen Helerra, Zelda mused, Brula would have been smacked right back, elderly and frail or not. Although for an old woman she did possess a strong swing.

A large hand wrapped around her arm and she was hauled to her feet, Link looming over her, bearing down on Brula with the most furious expression she'd ever seen him wear.

"Don't _ever_ do that again," he hissed with lethal vehemence.

The Sheikah gazed unmovingly up at him, her disposition stern and unyielding.

"No," Zelda said firmly, yanking her arm away.

She looked at Link and at once felt guilty at the sight of his astonished gaze. She took a shuddering breath and turned to the Sheikah. "I deserved it." She bowed her head, hand against her heart, she swept it outward in the Sheikah sign for deepest regret. "I'm truly sorry for all the trouble I caused. I only did what I thought to be right at the time, for my country and for my heart. Forgive me."

She squeezed her eyes shut, worried when all that met her was silence. She couldn't wait any longer and peeked open a crack then blinked as she saw Brula's eyes still narrowed in fury but filled with glistening tears. Something wrenched within her seeing the old woman rendered to such a state, and all because of her.

Brula gave a true smile then. "Oh, you foolish girl. We had feared we lost you."

"I am here now," Zelda replied lamely. What other comfort could she offer?

The Sheikah nodded. "Yes, you are. And for the sake of Hyrule, you had better stay put for once."

She nodded. She could make no promises, however, if it was not necessitated she did not intend to leave.

_Darkness shall befall the land…_

She frowned. The darkness, it was both friend and foe. As a Sheikah she had once lived off of it, but so too did people like Ganondorf and lord Xerthos. The darkness wasn't evil, she decided, what lurks within is.

"You three! Take Lord Foulkes to the dungeons. The guards there will know to return him to his cell," said Brula.

Wist's eyebrows shot up while Aiden stuttered. They'd been silent so far throughout the exchange, contemplating in confusion – she could see Link had a lot of explaining to do if he didn't want them all hounding him for information - but this must have hit the limit.

"His – his cell?" said Aiden, indecisive whether or not to take the order seriously. "Lady Brula, are you sure-"

"Do as she says," snapped Zellandus, for the first time taking into account Dasril's presence in the room. He blazed calculative blue eyes at him. "He is to remain there until a sentence has been decided."

Her heart thudded in panic as she turned to Link. "I thought you said that the decision belongs to me?"

Link looked helplessly over at Zellandus who blinked, stunned at her reaction. "Well, yes, the choice of punishment is yours. I only thought you would like some time to think about it, considering these recent events…"

_Set him free, _she wanted to cry but instead held her tongue. It was not as simple as that, and releasing him without taking precautions was plain foolishness. This was not the first time she'd had to suppress her bleeding heart.

"Whatever you decide, I will obey," said Dasril, offering her a respectful bow. She could see it in his eyes, the way he stared at her so intently, his love for her conveyed in those cold depths. He really would take any punishment she ordered, and he'd do it without a word of complaint.

If only he had been this devoted before his betrayal, however she could not find it within her to wish it had never happened. Was it selfish of her to not regret the events that had led to the rise of this new enemy and endangered all of Hyrule, just because it had reunited her with Link? If the entire debacle had not occurred would she still be running from him and would he still be chasing her?

"Stay in the dungeons," she replied solemnly. "I haven't decided yet." That was the best she could do. Would Link be mad if she chose a lenient punishment for him? Would Zellandus and Brula think her even more foolish? Dasril had done wrong by her, but he had also done good. She would have to determine which held more bearing.

Never letting up on his intense gaze, Dasril bowed again to her. "As you wish." He didn't so much as sound nervous about his prospects, resigned as he was to whatever she deigned suitable.

Wordlessly, Link's squad allowed Dasril to lead himself out before following after him. Lady Delage stared pointedly at Link as she crossed the room before striding out the door. Zelda glanced over at Link to see him rolling his eyes.

She wondered about the exchange, trying not to think too deeply into it. Amy had been the name of the woman Link had spoken to outside her door as she'd been recovering from the ritual. From what he'd told her they were very close…

_Only you…_

What nonsense! How could she still doubt him after all he had said to her? It was an insult. He had reassured her that he had eyes only for her. He wasn't going to leave her again. Never…

"Well, now that that sordid bit of business is over with," said Zellandus, holding his hand out in gentlemanly fashion for Zelda to take. Her hand easily found his and she used his touch to sooth her nerves. The Prince then stared at the others present in the chamber. "You three, leave."

Link looked as if he were about to snap a retort while Brula simply glared. The Zora proxy, ever obedient to authority, was already halfway to the door before he hesitated, seeing that the hero and Sheikah were not following. He took to standing around awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

"You're not serious, are you?" shot Link.

Seeing their defiant expressions, Zellandus gave an uncharacteristic shrug of defeat. "Very well, you may stay." Right as they began to relax, he added, "Zelda and I shall leave."

"She's only just arrived, your highness," said Brula sternly. "Have some consideration for her health. Allow her to rest."

Zellandus rolled his eyes. "Have some consideration for her health?" he mocked, "I'm not the one dealing her physical harm." He interrupted her as Brula made to respond, "We'll be in the solarium undergoing the tedious activities that comes with enjoying a cup of tea. Let us hope we don't work up a sweat."

Brula opened her mouth to snap a sharp rebuke before Zellandus lost his patience and snarled. "Give us some privacy for pities sake. Am I not allowed time alone to catch up with my own sister?"

"Zellandus," Zelda intoned chidingly and he wilted beneath her stare.

How easily they returned to their normal roles with each other. She'd once been condescending and arrogant, a snob if you will, as she was raised to be, one who looked down at everyone, including her brother to some extent, although that was tempered by sibling affection. She was no longer like that, but she could still be stern.

In that one word she conveyed her disapproval at his tone to the elderly Sheikah. He was one to hold the pettiest of grudges, and she did not want him to think sorely about Brula for months to come simply because of a slap to the cheek.

She looked to Link who was staring with narrowed eyes at her, his lips pressed in a discontented line.

She too ached to spend more time with him, but the world did not consist solely of them. There were others who they shared it with, and her brother especially deserved some of her expended time.

"Later, Link," she entreated.

He frowned, but nodded curtly. "Yeah…later."

Smiling, she pulled Zellandus with her as she walked out of the room. It would give her a moment to catch up with her thoughts. Zellandus would provide a good distraction to her mind, not only that but she dearly wanted to be with him. It would also give Link an opportunity to fill Brula in on all they had discovered. No doubt the old Sheikah would order a private meeting to discuss the situation afterwards.

Brula said not a word as they left the council room. Zellandus prattled as they journeyed through the halls, speaking of the most unsubstantial things to cross his mind. It was a good façade to the outside world. To everyone they appeared as any other pair roaming the halls and enjoying the day. None could imagine the hidden emotions both concealed.

Once they reached the privacy of the solarium, however, that nonchalant façade dropped. Zellandus instantly rang for tea before they sat comfortably on a bench near one of the high-arched windows.

His eyes gleamed with happiness, but it was shrouded as his face fell and he looked warily at her. "Zelda, before anything else there is something that I must ask…"

She raised a brow, caught unaware by the sudden tension in his voice. "There are some things that I cannot guarantee an answer to."

"Ever elusive," he scoffed in amusement. "I understand that."

There was silence while she waited for him to gather his thoughts.

At length, he let out a shallow breath. "Why did you run?"

She tensed, startled at the question. He continued on.

"What is this past you share with the hero? Why are you so careful around each other? What has he done?"

Had he gleaned all this in that short moment in the council room? She lightly touched his knee, battling over how best to evade the answer. "I don't-"

She was cut off as he snatched her hands, holding them close as he squeezed her fingers. "Please, Zelda, just tell me. I won't do anything you don't want me to."

"It is a private matter," she replied, giving in. If she couldn't give him the whole story, he at least deserved her honesty. "Our last life was…brutal, for the both of us. Some things were said and done that we deeply regret. But we've reached an understanding. All is forgiven, so do not worry about it. And do not think poorly of Link. We were both in the wrong."

"Was it bad enough that you had to forsake me?" he asked, head bowed and trembling. "I missed you. Even when I did not know who you were there was always some part of me that seemed to know…that felt empty."

Heart breaking at the declaration, she scooted closer and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, offering what small comfort she could. "I thought of you all the time. There was never a day that I did not think of you and wish that you were with me. You and Link were what kept me strong."

"You two seem very close…" he spoke silently, clutching her in a desperate hold.

It was a complete turn from his normally boisterous attitude. The only other time he'd been this upset was when their parents had passed away in the same accident that had also taken his dearest friend, perhaps the only girl he would have ever contemplated marriage with. Lenore had been his childhood light and he had been devastated when she'd died. For a full year afterward he'd slept with Zelda in her bed, absorbing her comfort as his heart mourned. His pain had been foreign to her back then, however now she understood all too well. One never fully recovered from such a loss. It made the heartbreak Link must have endured on her death all the more dreadful to think about…

"Closer than expected for mere friends…" he added, and Zelda smiled. She could take the hint. It was a subtle probing way of asking her to elaborate on that.

"We're tentatively courting, if you must know," she divulged, unsure how he would react to that answer.

"Tentatively?"

She sighed. "Don't make an issue of this, Zellandus. Link and I have already discussed our terms."

"Terms? As in like a contract?" A relationship based on a contract was a faulty one, he seemed to say. Did he truly think them that shallow?

She could have groaned at his persistence. He was really pushing it. "As in laying out the basis of our relationship and rebuilding from there. And don't even think of shattering that foundation. It was hard to construct in the first place."

He scoffed against her shoulder. "I wasn't going to in any way intercede."

A knock sounded on the door, signaling the arrival of their tea. They pulled away and Zellandus wiped his eyes before calling 'enter'.

A male servant ventured into the room, carrying a steeping pot of tea and two cups, saucers, and a plate of cakes, all balanced expertly on a tray he held aloft. He didn't say a word as he shuffled the table over to where they were seated and arranged the set then poured their tea. He cast one long look at the both of them before bowing and finally exiting.

It seemed she was attracting a lot of attention, and it wasn't difficult to figure out why.

Zellandus hummed in amusement before reaching for his cup and staring at her over the rim. "Our similar appearances are hard to overlook. By nightfall I predict the castle will be brimming with rumors. Hah! It will give those brainless dandies something to worry about. To think that they believed they even had a remote chance at inheritance."

She would be lying if she said that these rumors and speculations that were sure to circulate about her did not amuse her. What was the height of concern at court became frivolous in comparison to urgent matters such as the oncoming threat.

Let them theorize, it would only entertain them for so long.

"Indeed," she murmured humorously.

They spoke softly to each other, Zelda listening as he informed her of all that had been going on in his life. He had numerous complaints, and he often whined that she had not been there to take on the council for him, to which she smiled and merely bade him to continue. When he got to explaining how exactly he and Link met she leaned forward eagerly, tea forgotten. Link's account had been uninformative and vague, and Zellandus went into so much more detail, some of it she suspected was fabricated as he regaled her with his take of their skirmish in her bedroom.

It made her blush. If she hadn't left… if she'd been there, getting ready for the gala – or just dressing down for the night, considering that she would have been queen and they'd have no need for a gala - and he'd crept into her room what would have ensued from there? Possibly something similar to what occurred at the hot springs. Yelling, accusations, and then when their fusion of anger and sorrow was fully vented they'd reconcile.

That they'd never know.

"You know, it almost at times felt like he was fascinated with me," mused Zellandus, thoughtfully. "No, seriously. His eyes would light up, his touches lingered, and whenever I spoke he would stare at me as if infatuated. I swear he fancied me at one point."

Zelda blinked then reached for her tea. "I…don't know what to say to that…" She took a hasty sip, jerking as the scalding hot water met her tongue.

"Careful, it burns," input Zellandus, sipping quietly at his own tea.

One hand covering her mouth, she placed her cup down and waited for the pain to subside. "I could have deduced that."

"I'm sure," he waved her off. "Do you think he's lost interest in me? Now that you're here, might he want us both?"

It took all of her control not to giggle madly. Instead she bit her bottom lip. "I think that he only showed any interest in you because he thought you were me."

He raised an elegantly arched eyebrow at her in skepticism. "He is either blind or a fool then. We don't even possess similar genitalia. He can tell the difference between genders without such evidence, can he?"

Oh Goddesses, he was either doing this deliberately for a bit of fun or deliberately with the goal of conjuring a smile from her. She rewarded him by breaking into a genuine grin, "By his word you look like a disguise of mine in a previous life. I hid myself from the evil king by appearing as a man."

"Pity, I was honestly considering it," he stated flippantly, swirling the liquid in his cup.

"Not that I am opposed if your interests are swayed in that direction, however, Link is off limits," she replied in amusement, leaving no room for argument, or bartering as he was prone to do. "He is the one thing that I will not under any circumstances share with anyone."

"Possessive cat," her brother sneered, "Very well, keep your toy. There are many others I can choose to play with."

Her eyes widened at that. "He is not a toy, and it's dreadful that you refer to your people as such."

He sent her a dour look. "We are royal, practically gods ourselves. The world exists for our amusement."

"With that viewpoint I can see why your popularity among the nobility is flagging."

"But not among the peasants," he pointed out wryly. "They all seem to hold me in high regard. Such faithful devotees they are."

"Because they are not aware of your true character, I'm sure," she muttered quietly, hiding a smile.

In return she told Zellandus about her travels and all the places she'd been, many of which were not in Hyrule. In some instances she'd gone to Labrynna, Holodrum even to far off Calatia, often requiring to rent a coach to expedite the journey. At first she followed any promising lead to anyone of Ganondorf's description, but then once news of an Augurer reached her ears she had focused on him, positive that he was the King of Thieves reborn. However, Dasril had eliminated that theory once he had divulged the true identity of the Augurer to her. From his description, it was someone she never wanted to meet in person, someone who even Dasril wished the full bane of the dark one upon.

She had even spoken of the better parts of some of her past lives. These he seemed keenly interested in. History hadn't been his greatest subject in their youth, however perhaps now that he knew she had lived it he could find the appeal.

"The worst," said Zelda as she leaned against the windowsill, feet up, legs bent over his as he sat upright, for once posing with good posture, although that may have been because this way he had easier access to the cakes on the table. "Is that everything constantly changes, all the time. Language especially. Most people can ascribe to only two different dialects, modern Hylian and ancient Hylian. But there are so many in between during its evolution, and at the time each of these were considered modern."

"I wager that's frustrating," Zellandus said in between bites of lemon cake.

Zelda nodded. "You can imagine. It makes me grateful that Link and I only remember everything on our seventeenth birthdays. It gives us the opportunity to properly adapt before everything becomes blurred as one."

"How dreadful, being trapped in an everlasting cycle of rebirth," he said, washing down the treat with his fourth cup of tea.

Zelda shook her head. "It would be if I were alone," she mused silently. "But I have Link and I was a fool for pushing him away."

Zellandus opted to forgo a response, to which she was grateful for. He'd only be pointing out facts that she was well aware of. Her reasoning may have been sound, but her decisions were not truly made with wisdom. It made her wonder at times how she could be considered worthy to bear the mark of Nayru if all the crucial choices she made were done in ignorance.

They were interrupted as a knock sounded at the door. It swiftly opened to admit Link. It appeared he had developed a habit of barging in when not invited, first at the hot springs, then the council room and now here.

Their time was up it seemed. He was unwilling to wait any longer.

"I thought you should know it's getting late," said Link, striding further into the room.

Zellandus raised a cynical brow. "Really? I couldn't tell." He motioned to the darkening sky outside the windows. "I had forgotten that the scions of the royal family have a curfew."

Link for his part, was not amused. "If you'd let me finish," he grit out between clenched teeth, "Brula has called back Commander Deb from her assignment. We're all to meet early tomorrow to strategize a plan of action against Xerthos."

The mood in the solarium instantly darkened as that name was brought up. Zelda rose from the bench and patted down her dress.

"Zellandus, I'm sure that you have dinner to get to. It is never wise to keep the nobility waiting," she said, then noticed his mischievous smile. She smirked. "At least, not too long. I think I will adjourn for the night. Brula's right, I desire some rest."

"There's supper set out for you in your room," said Link, offering his arm. "Unfortunately my extended absence has been noted. People are becoming irritated that I've left the Prince unguarded for so long. As if they didn't have others to babysit him beforehand," he said irately. "And they totally disregard the Sheikah."

She wasn't as swift to take his arm as she had been to take Zellandus's, but if he noticed he didn't make mention of it. Mentally she scolded herself for her hesitation. How were they supposed to make things right when every slight action she did was made with caution?

"Goodnight, Zellandus," she said warmly, laughing at the fierce scowl he directed at her for being unbound by social obligation before Link swept her out the door.

"So," she dithered, gaining a curious gaze from Link, "Have you informed your friends about our pasts?"

Link laughed outright at that, and she abruptly averted her head.

He squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry, but I prefer to drive them mad with confusion. They've heard and seen enough to raise questions, but it's going to boggle them when they can't figure it out. They'd never guess that we're legends reborn."

"You and Zellandus share the same asinine sense of humor," she said, rolling her eyes, no longer downturned. "What is this mission Commander Shira is on?"

Link's face suddenly darkened. "A manhunt for Reth."

Zelda shuddered at the name. It had been fortune that he had been prevented from attacking her and she was able to plunge her sword deep within his flesh. She'd impaled some of his vital organs, yet he'd managed to vanish away with what little strength he had and most likely bled to death if heart failure hadn't taken him first.

Link led her to her personal suite in the Royal Wing of the castle. He released her hand and held the door open for her but did not follow her inside. She turned to him, unconsciously seeking more of his touch.

_Was that it? _

It was as if suddenly he was being distant with her. He had been so insistent and affectionate before. At least he might have kissed her goodnight…

Had she done something to offend him? It was nerve-wracking.

Instead he only smiled warmly at her and bowed his head. "I'll see you tomorrow, Zelda."

She nodded. Why the formality? "Alright."

The door closed softly and she was left in swirling confusion.

* * *

><p>The door creaked as the man entered. There was no indication to mark who he was, no light source that could provide illumination upon his features. Not until he spoke did Dasril know who had come to visit him.<p>

"A fitting abode for a man who is twice a traitor. How far you have fallen."

Listlessly, Dasril gazed in the general direction of the voice, imagining he could see past the bars to the man standing on the other side. "I had hoped we meet, Alceolus. Although I imagined better circumstances, but I suppose at least here our conversation cannot be heard."

"What have you told them, Dasril?" Lord Perrington pressed, a fervent panic in his voice. "How far have you betrayed us?"

He smirked, understanding the true sentiments behind his questions. "Ah, but you mean to ask, have I given you away? Is your position in the castle, this comfortable living you've acquired, under threat?"

The man was silent before he blustered on, "Well? Your answer, Dasril!"

Dasril sat up on his cot and leaned against the cold stone wall. "No."

"How can I believe that? After all you've done, how am I to believe you're not lying?"

He chuckled unnervingly, almost with crazed fervor. "Have you been apprehended for treason? Are you currently residing in a cell similar to my own, awaiting execution? There's your answer."

He imagined Lord Perrington adorning a scowl on his fat face. "But why? Reth said-"

Dasril growled at the mention of that knave. He hoped he suffered a long and excruciating death. It made him proud to know that it was his Princess who had delivered it. "I could care less about Reth. But you've been a guardian to me in place of my parents. You were a close friend of my mother's and for that reason alone do I give you this chance. Leave. Start off somewhere new, somewhere you won't be recognized. That is my advice to you."

Lord Perrington snarled. "Are you mad? I'll be hunted down like a boar."

He smiled. How apt the comparison. "Lord Xerthos is too preoccupied with conquest and his revenge to bother with you," countered Dasril easily. "You neither further his cause nor hinder it. To him you are nothing more than a pawn to do away with at his convenience. Be grateful, it gives you the freedom you need to escape."

"Even if I were to leave I've nowhere to go."

Dasril shrugged even though neither of them could see the action. "You have your wealth at your disposal. You'll be accepted anywhere simply for that."

"I don't have to listen to you," said Perrington, voice tight with venom. "It doesn't matter if Lord Xerthos wins or loses. I am ensured a high position in both cases."

"Not if I give you away," said Dasril, practically sensing the sudden apprehension Lord Perrington gave off. "If you don't leave I'll tell them of your involvement. You'll be put to the gallows long before Lord Xerthos makes his move, of that you can be sure."

There was a silence, then a shuffling of slippered feet as the rotund lord move to the door, grunting as he heaved it open. He paused at the threshold, the faint glow of a torch lighting his profile. "To think you have become like this. Your mother would be ashamed of you," he said as a last parting word before viciously slamming the door, no doubt attracting the attention of a guard, but he could easily lie his way out of any trouble.

Dasril chuckled and mused. Ashamed that he put aside his own interests in lieu of another's? That he had given up his quest for power to defend his love? He laughed loudly. "That she would be, that she would…"

* * *

><p>He came at night. Stumbling into camp like a drunkard, while clutching a gaping hole at his side just beneath his ribcage, weeping blood all over the place, Vivienne knew at once that he had done something detrimental to their plans. With a shuddering gasp, Reth collapsed on the floor, eyes glazed as he stared at nothing.<p>

She fiddled with a knife, idly twirling it as she gazed down at the man lying prone on her carpet. "Vrel, hon, will you fetch me the medical supplies."

Vrel, who had shot up from his seat at once upon seeing the mad minister, wordlessly did as bid, his face pale and appearing as if he were about to hurl.

Her eyes sparked as she watched him leave. He was coming along nicely, although there were still things needed to work on. His jealousy of his friend had abated drastically as he became more calculative, focused on his own merits rather than someone else's. She had utterly captivated him, he was completely hers to do with as she will. She hated to admit it, but she was becoming fond of this one. Somehow he was unlike all other men she had enchanted with her beauty and charm and experience. Perhaps it was his age, she didn't normally tend to target ones so young, but whatever it was she liked it.

He returned promptly with the required items and while he'd been gone she'd sent a missive to Xerthos informing him about Reth's precarious state. She'd then set on nursing the fool minister as best she could. Fortunately or unfortunately she had never been proficient at healing.

A day later Lord Xerthos arrived to see to Reth himself, and a day after that the minister had fully healed, the wound in his side now a distant and unpleasant memory.

She was busy polishing a gauntlet when Reth blearily opened his eyes, blinking to clear them. Hastily he sat up and swore. Never had she seen him lose his composure so disgracefully. What a humiliating occurrence. Had she cared she'd have chided him for shame.

He looked around as if bewildered, eyes wild and disbelieving. "I'm alive…? Lucky… If it had been _that_ sword which struck me…"

Hmm, _that sword._ He said it as if it bore some significance. Mentally she made note of it.

As it were, she felt in a gracious mood and merely smiled prettily at him. "Careful, darling. Soon they'll be calling you 'Reth the Impaled'."

He groaned. "Shut up, you bitch!"

Her eyes gleamed. My, what a foul mood he was in. It was almost enough to entertain her. "Hmmhmm, you'd better collect yourself. Lord Xerthos knows about this transgression. You'll want all your cool if you're to face him," she warned, holding the gauntlet out in front of her to admire her reflection on the smooth metal.

Reth's face instantly lost all color, his great orange orbs absent of their mocking glow as they snapped to her.

"How naughty of you," she murmured happily, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Disregarding your orders and preempting an attack against the Prince's bodyguard? What trouble you are in." His face as she spoke… If she were an affectionate being she might have felt sorry for him.

The fear he displayed heightened as the tent flap was pulled aside and in strode their overlord, Lord Xerthos, demon spawn. Fleetingly she appraised the various new features he'd acquired. His skin had turned a dark tan, the many scars that criss-crossed his face had become black cracks, and his eyes, once a deep set of green bore the color of blood, the sclera a parched grey. United with the powers of his ancestor his demon heritage was shining through.

Not that it mattered to her what he looked like, however unseemly scars could no longer be said to be the only reason for him not to appear in public.

"Your patience is as limited as Dasril's, I see," said Xerthos, approaching the cot where Reth resided and towering over him like the dark entity that he was. Reth glared at the floor, his hands fisting in his covers, the only indication of his worry. "You want action?" spoke the demon, "Well then you shall have it! We strike now!"

Vivienne's interest peaked at this and she hummed in delight. Unlike the boys, both action and inaction suited her just fine, there were always ways to entertain herself, however action had always excited her most.

"Vivienne, ready the troops. But you, Reth, you shall remain here. You are to take no part in any of the upcoming attacks."

Lo? This was what Reth had been waiting for, what he'd been promised upon joining with Lord Xerthos, the chance to spill blood uninhibited. What a delightful punishment this was. The sorry fool.

Reth gaped and tore the blankets off, stumbling to his feet. "Lord Xerthos, please, I implore you!"

Xerthos headed out of the tent and Reth hastily staggered after him. "My Lord please, hear me out!"

"You ignored my orders and for that you reap the consequences. However, I can be merciful enough to give you an alternative…"

"Anything, my Lord."

Vivienne rolled her eyes. His begging made her sick. All his pride seemed to have been sapped away. She grinned at Vrel as he entered the tent, granting her a small peek at the two men outside as he moved aside the flap.

"Pay blood for blood. Sixty lashes for the blood you will spill in battle, or you may refuse and take no part in our attack."

Vrel stood stiff, eyes widening in mute horror. Her grin only spread. Now she'd see how far Reth would go to ensure his entertainment. How far would he fall into the pits of insanity to be able to kill?

His reply was too quiet for them to make out, but then she heard orders being given to a moblin and the crack of a whip as it gave a practice swing.

Vrel hastened over to her, shuddering. "Vivienne, won't he be killed?"

Another crack and then a howl of pain as whip met flesh. Sensually, she smiled. "That sword wound should have killed him, but he and I have been gifted with increased durability. What may be a mortal wound to others is no longer fatal to us."

A gift and insurance it seemed. Their durability would indeed protect them and save them from death at the hands of their enemies, however, in this way Lord Xerthos was also free to punish them without fear of them dying. At least he was fair in that he only enacted punishment for disobedience and not failures. For now...

"How could he do something like this?" spoke Vrel tersely, sweat marring his brow, and flinching as each strike met its mark. "How could he order something so barbaric?"

She raised an eyebrow at him, smiling. "Do not traitors of the crown deserve execution? Do not criminals face justice? Lord Xerthos is in effect our king. What is he doing that makes it worse than what any other ruler would do?"

Vrel blinked in a moment of speechlessness then looked away. Wincing as Reth cried out again in agony.

Vivienne set down her gauntlet and stretched her arms. She motioned for Vrel to come closer and she wrapped him in her comforting hold. Even after all this training her little pet was still so soft. Perhaps she enjoyed him because he needed more work than the others, he gave her more of a challenge and what was the fun if she didn't have to work to obtain a goal.

"This way too, Reth is being made stronger," she explained. "With each strike he feels the pain less and less. His body will adapt and become immune. Soon all he will feel is nothing. That is the way this magic works."

As she said it frenzied laughter soon replaced the cries of torment, Reth finding solace in madness as he endured the lashings. New scars would form over a layer that already existed, hard times from a demented childhood.

She pet Vrel's hair and listened leisurely to the minister fall deeper into insanity.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Not one of my best chapters, I admit. For some inexplicable reason I had difficulty writing this one. And it's a bit morbid at the end. It feels like it's missing something… Anyways, yet another happy reunion with lots of tears. Next chapter should be more interesting, aka, major progression made towards some serious Zelink ^^**

**Oh yeah, 'Dead Inside's' one year anniversary was on February 17. I've written over 300,000 words in a year! (That's including all my stories)**

**Wolf: Well, It's not Amy, but I have something like that in here ^^. I really should give her a turn at teasing him in front of Zelda.**

**PrincessPeach: Eventually, yes. ^^**

**Freyax: Don't worry, I don't intend on separating them. At least, it's not in my plans. You never know if I decide to change something in the future. But nothing permanent!**

**Twokeyz: Correct. 'Dead Inside' has absolutely no connection with any of my other stories. That would make things far more complex, lol. So do you not like Hylia, or do you just not like the storyline after she enters it? My favorite part is the red loftwing. I just love him and the way he acts towards Link, lol!**


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

Link rushed through the castle at a fast walk, a silent panic overtaking his thoughts. Half an hour earlier he had gone to see Zelda in her rooms in order to keep her company for breakfast only for the sour-faced maid that had been assigned to her to receive him as she carried out a tray full of empty dishes.

"She's not here," the maid had told him, a fierce scowl planted on her face, obviously disapproving of his impropriety. Apparently it was beyond improper to be visiting a lady's bedchambers without a chaperone. "She had her breakfast bright and early, as any decent person should, and left. I don't know where she went."

And from there Link had been running around trying to locate her. He'd checked the music room, the drawing room, the solarium, pretty much the entire Royal Wing, he was all but ready to alert Zellandus and order a massive search of the grounds, however he figured they didn't need another uproar.

Perhaps he was overreacting; maybe he was being overly paranoid, but given Zelda's track record how could he not be? Deep down, in that part of him he wished to silence, he secretly feared she'd leave again.

A loud clamor drew his attention involuntarily to the courtyard where it seemed a huge crowd had gathered, nobles and servants alike converging on the grounds and along the arcade to peer out from a higher standpoint. He chanced a look out through one of the arches and abruptly came to a halt.

There on the dueling grounds, Zelda was engaged in a sword match against a man he knew to be an officer, although he wasn't certain of his rank. One hand held behind her back, she parried against the man's broadsword, easily sliding it away, before twirling in and slashing her rapier at his side, tearing the cloth of his uniform and revealing the aegis outfit hidden beneath. In any other country the application of a rapier against a broadsword hardly seemed practical given the latter's width and bulk, the broadsword clearly possessed the advantage. But in Hyrule it was done. And done brilliantly at that, if the performance the audience was witnessing was anything to go by.

They cheered and hollered, Link even overheard some placing bets, which made him wonder how long this had been going on for. And he'd thought that _he_ had woken up early. He was amazed at how many people were even lucid at this hour.

Ignoring the onlookers, he hurried down a set out stairs out onto the courtyard, his shoulders more relaxed, but a deep scowl was planted on his face. He was about ready to tear into her for the fright she'd caused him. Fearing she'd gone, having him doubt her word… Of all the inconsiderate people he'd ever known!

"Oh, she's good," said a voice to his right, "Very good."

Commander Deb stood at the bottom of the stairwell leaning against a pillar, arms crossed and eyes glinting as she watched the duel progress. Zelda and her opponent meandered from the center circle to the outer circle of the makeshift ring, heightening everyone's anticipation as they tip-toed along the out-of-bounds zone.

"Commander," Link said, offering a curt nod.

The Commander flicked a hand at him in acknowledgement, eyes fixated on the duel. "Good day, Link. I see you've returned from your mission. Were you called back or did you succeed?"

"It was a success," he relayed. For the most part, that was. Their primary goal had been the retrieval of Hyrule's heir, yet since the encounter with the Mad Minister, he didn't consider it a full success. Although the minister had been killed, they had not gained very much in the way of valuable information regarding Xerthos. They only had the witch's word to go on, and even that he was skeptical about.

He would not let it happen. They would be prepared, they'd prevent darkness from overtaking the land. He and Zelda had an advantage over their enemy that none other could fathom. With their tactical minds combined they would no doubt be able to prevent Hyrule's downfall. It wouldn't be like before… not this time. He wouldn't let it happen again.

There was a collective gasp as Zelda's opponent managed to push her so that she slid up against the boundary, her boot aligning with the thick black line, just inches away from crossing. But then she turned the tables and released the contact of their swords, spinning over the outer edge before darting back to the center. Link noted astutely that if she had wanted she could have ended the battle right then and there by taking advantage of the man's momentary loss of balance and forcing him out of the ring. Apparently, however, she wanted to draw it out. She was toying with him. She was having fun.

Not that her expression revealed that, her face was as blank as a canvas, yet to any trained fighter it was clear what she was doing and the amusement derived from it. This frustrated her opponent, and he took this short lapse to catch his breath and find his bearings. Link gave him points for not driving into a rage.

"Heh heh, the cheek of that girl," said Deb, smiling broadly. She finally glanced at him. "Who is she? I want her part of the elite. Talent like that should not go to waste."

His eyebrows shot up. The elite were a faction of Hyrule's thirty best knights who worked directly under the Prince and answered to no one else other than Deb. Anathema, they were called, and while the Sheikah were the hidden protectors of Hyrule, the Anathema were the primary visible protectors. He had yet to meet any of them, he'd been told that most had been deployed to fend off skirmishes on the outskirts and to protect some of the villages from the rising mass of monsters. The rest, to his knowledge, had ridden out with Deb to help on her mission.

"That girl happens to be my assignment," he responded, already anticipating the Commander's reaction. To his great amusement, she did not disappoint him. She gazed at him dumbfounded before looking back over at Zelda, lips quirking at the edges.

"That's her? I barely recognized her. Two years has induced much change, it seems. Well, at least it will be less worrisome to have a monarch who knows how to defend herself. She's better than you when you first arrived."

"She does have a two year advantage over me," Link grumbled in defense, shifting on his feet irksomely. He ran a hand through his hair then leaned on the pillar next to Deb. He could chide Zelda later. Let her have her fun for now, heavens know when she'd last been able to wind down like this.

"Plus," he continued, "she has Wisdom, and Wisdom works on the mind. The mind contains information on everything, not only knowledge. It also contains muscle memory, so essentially she's been remembering more than me from the start. I only have my episodic and semantic memories, I remember how to do the moves, but my body doesn't. For her, her mind and body know how, she only has to develop muscle and strengthen her bones and joints to pull them off." He paused and glanced over at her wonderingly. "Does this all make sense?"

Deb had taken to looking at him with a bland hopelessness on her face. She shook her head. "I'm afraid not. But I get the idea. Either way, you both develop fast. It won't take long for you to catch up."

"Duel me and we'll see how far along I've come," he responded, eager for the challenge.

The Commander merely shook her head. "Another time, methinks."

It seemed that at that moment Zelda decided she had enough of her opponent and with a swift reverse flick of her wrist, her rapier swept the man's sword from his grip and sent it clattering across the ring. The man stared at his fallen weapon in shock before smiling and granting Zelda a curt nod. Zelda flourished her rapier before her in salute and spoke to the man. He smiled and answered, their conversation drowned out by applause and cheers.

"That's the fifth one she's defeated this morning," said Deb, fiddling with the grip of her own blade as if she herself was anxious for a go. She glanced up at the sky and the rising sun then turned to face Link. "That's enough, I believe. Our meeting starts soon."

"I'll get her," said Link, pushing off the column and striding across the courtyard, weaving through the crowd until he reached the ring.

Zelda had been offered a towel and was using it to wipe the perspiration off her face and neck. She spotted Link and gave him a bright smile. He held back from throwing himself at her and clutching her in his embrace. Neither were very fond of public displays of affection, and also he did not know how that action would be received.

"Link, I didn't think you'd be up this early," she said, flicking her rapier then sheathing it. She held a hand out in front of her, swerving it and flexing the fingers. "The Great Fairy's water is surely wonderful. Already my hands have regained strength that they've not had in weeks. Although, they do lack much dexterity."

He smiled wanly at her, hands clasped tensely behind his back. "I'm glad."

She peered at him oddly before she covered it up with a smile. "I must admit, I spent a few hours last night doing exercises to help them along. They are close to full recovery."

Feeling that he'd been too short with her, Link opened his mouth to tell her just how happy he was for her, when an overly nasal voice rose up.

"My lady, that was a marvelous display," said James as he sauntered over to them with Wist at his heels.

Link struggled not to glare at the noble as the man stationed himself before them, hand resting on his hip, a smug grin on his face. His eyes shifted over to Wist who shrugged in a helpless fashion.

"Good to see you, Captain," Wist greeted then gave a short bow to Zelda when otherwise he'd have bent deeper. "My Lady."

"And to you, Wist," she replied.

Jame's eyes flitted from her to Wist. "So, you two are already acquainted? Then let me not be the odd one out. I am Lord James Farlow, Viscount of Sarrade."

She smiled good-naturedly at him, her eyes sparkling and kind. "I am Zelda."

"Zelda? Might you be Hyrule's errant heir?" he asked then retracted, "I apologize. It is only that there have been whispers of a woman who looks the Prince's double. And Zelda is a name reserved only for the Hylian royalty, so I assumed-"

"And as I've repeatedly told you, you shouldn't make assumptions based on mere hearsay," said Wist knowingly, casting James a furtive glance.

Link meanwhile cast about to see if anyone was within hearing range of their conversation, despite knowing that practically everyone thoughts on the matter aligned with James'.

"No, it's fine. They are but harmless queries," Zelda inserted, bowing her head politely. "It was nice to meet you, Lord Farlow." Amusement danced in her eyes and Link very nearly scoffed. "I shall take my leave of you now."

Before she could step away, however, James caught her wrist. She turned her gaze to him and he faltered at the sudden domineering intensity of it. Link on the other hand, was openly scowling at him.

James swiftly dropped her wrist. "I initially wanted to ask you if I could be your next sparring partner. That is, if you've not exhausted yourself?"

Finished with keeping his silence, Link stepped in front of the Lord and placed a hand on Zelda's back, steering her away. "She's needed elsewhere," input Link tersely, and maybe with a hint of possessive jealousy. "You can spar against someone else."

"How curious that the Prince's personal bodyguard be accompanying her ladyship," said James, mouth spread in a sneer.

Zelda sent Link a bland look, which he ignored, then glanced at James and Wist. "As I said, I'll be taking my leave. Perhaps another time."

James conceded with a bow. "Of course."

It was a trial from there to make it through the crowd as people continuously came up to speak to them, granting compliments and praise, but with a few clever words from Zelda and some sleek maneuvering they managed.

A half hour later saw Link seated to Zellandus' left in the council room, opposite to Zelda - freshly showered - who had rejected the seat of authority and took her place to his right. With them were Commander Deb, Brula, and Byron the Zoran proxy, the only ones in the castle privy to Link and Zelda's longstanding identities.

Link frowned as all present listened to Brula's suggestion before interjecting, "I disagree."

Brula narrowed her gaze at him, frank with disapproval. The others looked on curiously.

"You disagree?" said the old Sheikah, tone one of curiosity, although to him it sounded more like an accusation.

"I do," Link affirmed and then went on, "Your idea banks on the fact that Castle Town will fall. That is only a possibility. There's nothing to assure that it will happen."

"As much as I detest witches, their prophecies are known to be precise," Brula insisted, fingers digging into the backs of her clasped hands.

Byron fidgeted uneasily as he watched them argue. He was a pacifist by nature and any form of dissent between two parties never sat well with him. Hesitantly he spoke up, "The Lady Frayne once told me that a witch's visions could be equal to her own, depending on the power of the witch. They are usually accurate."

"But not entirely accurate," added Link, now thoroughly annoyed. It was a trial to keep his jaw from clenching. "What you want us to do - flee before Xerthos has a chance to strike - is to give up without a fight. How will it look to the people when they see their great leader has abandoned them? What will they think when they remember us leaving them in the hands of evil?"

Zellandus leaned back in the Sovereign's chair, cheek nestled in his hand. "He does have a point. Can't be seen as a bloody coward now can I? When all this unpleasantness is over I'd be known as the traitor Prince."

"What does that matter compared to your lives?" snapped Brula, red irises deep and penetrating as they glared at him. "You must survive to ensure Hyrule's salvation. Darkness comes and the hero shall purge it, as it has always been."

A soft sigh was heard and their attention was shifted to where Zelda sat, staring at the table deep in thought. At length she looked up, her gaze touching all of them. Link felt warmth engulf him when her eyes settled on him and lingered longer than the rest. Finally she turned to Brula. "The Sheikah have always excelled in the organization of missions and small group assignments. However, it has long been apparent that you and your kin lack in political tactics and strategic warfare."

_Much like myself_, Link silently acknowledged.

Although, with passing time he'd become very adept at the latter, even so he couldn't compare with Zelda, who it seemed was born to lead armies. He'd mostly ever done solo work.

Brula had the dignity to agree with the assessment, knowing that to do otherwise would be foolish denial. "Very well, and what is your advice?"

"Isn't it clear?" said Deb, pressing her palms flat on the table as she leaned forward. "By fleeing we might as well be setting up for another civil war."

"Exactly," said Zelda, brushing her hair over her shoulder. "A ruler serves the people as much as the people serve their ruler. They'll see it as Zellandus placing his own life before that of his subjects."

**_His life comes before his subjects!_** Carus hissed, her tone one of fury. **_You and Zellandus are more valuable than anyone else in the realm!_**

"Not everyone is as devoted to the royal house as the Sheikah," said Brula lowly, conceding a nod. "I see your point. But nevertheless, above all, you three," she indicated distinctly with her eyes to both royals and Link, "must be safe. If the land does fall it is your duty to save it."

There was silence as they let that weigh on them. Link hated the fact that everything always seemed to depend on his continuing existence. How he had to always be cautious, if he was lost then Hyrule was lost as well until another time when he could be reborn.

His gaze slid over to observe Zelda, seeing her staring past the shimmering near translucent sound barrier Brula had set up over the chamber to look out the window. Her face bore a saddened expression and it made his heart ache as he realized that to the Goddesses he may be indispensable…but she was not, as proven by their last life. Sure, she made his quests easier for him, helped him out when he was clueless, lent her power when the evil became too overwhelming, but when push came to shove he somehow knew the Goddesses would see to it that he overcame these trials. Zelda's role mostly came in the aftermath, in helping to restore Hyrule. However even without her Hyrule would still be restored, though far less efficiently. Without her he may still prevail over evil, but it would incur a far greater loss. No matter what, it would always be the same. The Goddesses would always see her sacrificed before him.

It was beyond unfair. The Goddesses were indeed cruel, hiding up in the heavens, allowing evil to threaten their people. Why did they not come themselves to eliminate all threats, why did they choose him and Zelda as their champions to endure the cruel injustices of the world? Why did they not face these demons themselves? Whatever happened to divine intervention? They could have saved her after Ganondorf's blow, they could have at least made sure that after all their hardships the rest of their lives could be lived in peace.

"What we should be doing," Link interjected firmly. His thoughts were riddled with emotions and he prayed it didn't reflect in his voice. "Is determine how we're going to protect Hyrule. Xerthos has the Augurer and an army of beasts at his command. I suspect he plans to march on the capital. We should arrange how to first counter the armies."

"Why wait then?" asked Byron, curiously. "He's had over a month to prepare. If he was truly going to attack why does he take so long to do it."

Zelda tapped a finger against the wood of the table, a sign Link recognized that indicated she had come up with the solution and was about to declare it. "I have two reasons in mind," she said. "First, the amount of power that Lord Xerthos absorbed had to have left him weakened. Link, you saw his state at the end of the ritual?"

Link nodded, recalling the man had barely been able to support himself on hands and knees.

"He's been recovering. It would have been the optimal time for us to strike, if I hadn't…" she cut off all of a sudden, blinking rapidly as she tore her eyes away to stare at her hands, now enfolded on her lap. Her brow was pinched in a frown, and Link could practically see the guilt flashing through her eyes.

"It wouldn't have made a difference," he said firmly, silently coercing her to look at him. "We wouldn't have known where to look for him and he had the Augurer to protect him. Our chance was nonexistent either way."

She held vast amounts of wisdom, but when it came to self-blame she had to be shown reason in order for her to set aside her guilt.

Their eyes connected and she straightened her posture as if drawing strength from his words. "That may well be true…"

_She should know_, he thought, _since she's been so hard bent on seeking out the Augurer, to no avail._

"Secondly, he's waiting out the winter," finished Deb, hands entwined before her. "Anyone with any sense of siege warfare should know that attacking a fortified place in the winter is more often devastating to the aggressor. Monsters are known to be bumbling creatures, and it would only be worse in the snow, plus they are generally adverse to the cold. Near half his army would be lost due to the elements alone. It is a foolish move for any warlord to take. No, he plans to wait until spring, or until the snow has thawed. By then he might also think that we've let our guard down. He doesn't know about the witch's warning to us."

"That will be one form of advantage for us," Zelda nodded. "But we still shouldn't eliminate the possibility that we might be wrong. One cannot know the power he wields now, it may be enough that he can strike whenever the mood suits him."

"I'll have the soldiers alerted immediately. Already we have ballistas on the battlements and other weapons prepared. I've broke open the armory, everyone should be well equipped. I'll have the high mage set to work on our magical defenses as well," listed Deb.

"Another thing," input Zelda giving them all a severe look. "I don't want the civilians involved in this. We do not need any meaningless deaths. We must get them to safety before any of the fighting begins."

Brula gave her a look that conveyed incredulity. "You know that by doing this we lose valuable manpower."

Zellandus pretended to cough, "cannon fodder!"

Brula instantly leveled him a bloodied stare. "We do not know the exact numbers our enemy has. If it be ten thousand or a hundred thousand."

"The Prince is right," said Deb, crossing her arms. "Civilians would only get in the way. We have the advantage of a fortress, higher ground, resources, and plenty of manpower. We have archers and mages, and our knights. We stand more than a chance against an army of monsters. What we should be concerned about are the Augurer and Lord Xerthos."

"They can be left to me," said Link, fists clenching in his lap. Yes, they'd already eliminated Reth. He'd see to it that the other bastards paid as well for what they've done to Zelda. It was his right to kill them.

He was brought out of his silent reverie as Brula spoke up.

"Not only you," said Brula, frowning. "Remember, this is not the Thief King that you are dealing with. We do not know what to expect from this foe. A small cell should be assigned under your command, consisting of our best and most magically apt warriors to aid you." Her voice became grave as she spoke, "if we can indeed stop the darkness before it takes over then Hyrule shall be spared from much calamity."

"I'll order two of the Anathema to this cell," inserted Zellandus, he then turned to the figure on his right. "And, Zelda?"

Link knew what she was going to say. He just knew it. He wanted to keep her far away from battle, send her off to safety with the civilians if he could. It would be the ideal decision, it would ensure she'd be protected from all of this. However who was he to deny a warrior her blade? Zelda had just as much right as him to partake in defending Hyrule. More of a right, actually. Hyrule was hers and by insisting that she leave or even forcing her for her own sake was both an insult to her and selfish.

Her demeanor was calm as she listened to them. She answered with eloquent grace, ill-befitting for the topics they discussed. "I will face the Augurer and Xerthos with Link. It has been proven that we work best when fighting together. Wisdom shall not abandon Courage in this time of need."

It was just like Dasril said. Wisdom and Courage together is when they are most powerful. He relinquished an abject grin. He'd expected no less from her. Although his heart still panged with memories from the past. In his mind's eye he could see her falling to Ganondorf's sword over and over again. Ganondorf became the iron knuckle, which then transformed into the Augurer.

He clenched his eyes shut and coughed to cover up a groan. Furtively he rubbed his brows, willing the images to fade. It wouldn't happen again. He'd be more cautious, he'd protect her this time.

"You, Link, and the Commander should discuss a strategy on what to do if, or more possibly, when the Augurer and Lord Xerthos do appear," said Brula. "You will be the only ones capable of bringing them down. Now, what to do about the nobility? Many of them are knights and officers, I believe they should remain behind to assist. I would say the rest should leave with the civilians, but evacuating the civilians will already prove to be a trying ordeal. And nobles can be vastly more stubborn, many would believe that as long as they are within the castle walls they'll be safe enough."

"I think the dignitaries should leave," input Byron, having had little to contribute until now. He may not be any good at warfare, but he knew his way around politics. "In my opinion they've overstayed their welcome. Anyways, many are tired of waiting for the heir to appear. In addition, we don't want to get more countries involved. And if any were to be killed on Hyrulean soil..."

The room's atmosphere became grim. If the people of those countries were anything like the Labrynnian ambassador Hyrule would be sure to have hell to pay.

"Actually, I think it would be best if most all of them leave. Knights included," said Byron.

Deb raised an eyebrow at him. "And why do you say that? Unlike the civilians, these are highly trained men and women you would be depriving us of."

Byron looked distinctly uncomfortable as he defended himself in a topic that he was not adept in. "Er…well, to be honest, I believe we're confronting this in the wrong way."

At the prolonged silence, he went on, releasing a nervous breath. "You're going about this with the assumption that you'll win. The fact remains that there's a greater chance that we'll lose. We shouldn't be focused on how to stop Hyrule's downfall, but what to do when it happens, and what action we should take afterwards."

"Again, you want us to lay down our swords without a fight," hissed Link, the very idea enraged him. "I don't see that happening."

"No no, not that," added Byron quickly, "if we do win it will be because we cut off the head…or heads, as it were. Get rid of the leaders and the monsters will turn on each other or sometimes I hear they become so shocked by the loss that they retreat. Behind their leader's banners they display confidence but when their leaders fall and they have nothing to hide behind and most cower."

"I see," said Zelda. Byron's shoulders sagged with relief as he was not immediately declared a fool.

"You do?"

Zelda looked at him them and mused aloud, "If we prevail then all will be well and our men can easily deal with the beasts." She went on, "But if not…We'll make it a graceful fall as we can. Send the nobility away, and don't call for reinforcements. I'd rather we save them for our strikeback."

"But what if after Lord Xerthos takes over he has them all slaughtered?" Deb pointed out. "A wise warrior would do away with his opposition."

"But a wise _ruler_ would see the detriments to doing such a thing," Zelda countered furtively. "If he does wish to reign over Hyrule, like Ganondorf, he'll need people to rule over. He'd have no political advantage if he eliminates members of the greater houses. He'd do better trying to lure them to his side."

"Your forward thinking is most astute, your highness," said Brula, with a glimmer of pride behind her eyes.

Zelda sent the old woman a small smile then grew forlorn as she continued, "I cannot say that I know Lord Xerthos' nature, if he means to destroy Hyrule or simply govern it, but these are risks we must take. I believe the knights are capable of holding their own if he does come after them. Once they hear of Hyrule's fall they'll surely gather their forces and start a rebellion."

"This is madness," Link said under his breath. "There are too many uncertainties to deal with." How simple it had all been when it was Ganondorf they were against…

"Fine, we'll go with that and pray that this Lord Xerthos is not a homicidal maniac," said Deb, flinging her hands up in the air. "But then how do we drive out the nobles? As we've acknowledged, they're stubborn and petty, and with the rumors about the heir flying around and the princess' appearance they'll be even more reluctant to leave."

"We should throw a ball," said Zellandus, offhandedly. He looked around at their stunned silence and scowled. "Am I the only one seeing the sense of this solution?"

Brula gave him an exasperated look and bent forward, mouth firming in annoyance. "Do enlighten us. What foolishness has the idiotic prince come up with now?"

Zellandus gave a forlorn sigh as if acknowledging that all the world was against him. "The nobility are all about formality. We simply give them a parting ball and they'll leave. If they believe the rumors that Zelda is indeed the heir, and no doubt they will, they'll give up on any claim they thought they had. The poor misguided saps." He grinned snidely and rested his cheek on his palm. "I've heard tell that apparently Zelda is a recently discovered distant relation to the royals. Those misbegotten fools will think that we've verified Zelda's lineage and are teaching her etiquette and politics and such. This ball will be our way of conspicuously implying that we've found the heir. You see, afterwards they'll have no choice but to leave."

Link blinked, utterly nonplussed. It constantly amazed him how Zellandus continued to surprise him.

The prince shrugged, "That, and also I would like to commemorate Zelda's return."

"Here here," said Byron, bearing a wide grin.

More exclamations of agreement resounded from the others and Zelda smiled in amusement, albeit somewhat bashfully.

"And if they should be waylaid on the road by the Augurer's forces while returning to their homes?" said Brula, bringing them back to the topic at hand.

The prince shrugged. "It takes a while to mobilize an army of that size," he replied. "And we've heard no reports of there being any sightings anywhere nearby. We have scouts patrolling the borders, we'll be informed through hawk correspondence if an army is detected. The nobles will have ample time to return to their estates."

"It is actually a good idea," piped up Byron excitedly, before his face fell. "But with so little time…how are you going to arrange it all?"

Zellandus chortled, and flung his head back, staring at the ceiling. "I've been planning this ball for weeks now, ever since we found Zelda the first time. Preparations are for the better part all done, only the decorating to do now."

Well that sounded more like the Zellandus he knew. He had probably been digging for any excuse to have this ball and had somehow come up with that stroke of uncharacteristic brilliancy.

Now that they had general plans formed it was easier to see a better outlook for the future.

"Fine, I agree. Holding a ball is not necessarily smart, given the timing, but it will work," said Deb, massaging the back of her neck. "Besides, it will keep everyone occupied and alert. And it will also supplement the excuse we used to explain why we have an increase in soldiers around town."

"I see no issue with it," agreed Zelda, smiling brightly. "A ball would be nice." Her eyes sparkled as she glanced at Link and he hummed in agreement.

"If we are all in accordance, I think our meeting is concluded," spoke Zellandus, rising from his chair. "It seems we all have a lot of work to do. A damn bother, really."

Link stood with the others, pushing his chair back, stomach clenching in reminder that he'd forgotten all about breakfast. Deb left at once with Brula, both too busy to waste any time dallying. Zelda walked in stride with her brother as they leisurely headed out the door. Link fell in behind them, listening to Byron with only half an ear as he rambled on about something or another.

They paused at the threshold and Zelda cast him a lingering look over her shoulder before smiling kindly at him. Link had to clench his fists, fingers digging into his palms so he didn't do anything rash.

"Link?" she said, hand outstretched in his direction before she hastily pulled it back upon seeing he made no move to take it. Her lips pursed as her features lost a bit of their warmth.

It took Link a few seconds to realize that he was staring. He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Zelda. I have to see to the preparations."

She paused, revealing no emotion to him whatsoever, no entryway into her thoughts as she finally nodded. "Alright."

He hurried past her before she could see the quavering of his arms, Brula's words to him yesterday resounding loudly in his head. After Zellandus and Zelda had left the council chambers she had bequeathed him some advice regarding his relationship with Zelda. Stuff about restraint, patience, consideration, pacing, not forcing Zelda into anything that might make her uncomfortable, always leaving an opening for her to opt out, and so on.

And he understood the Sheikah's concerns. Who knew the extent of her mental trauma at the hands of their enemies? She'd been blinded, undergone seizures and delusions, Dasril had said that Wisdom had to lock the worst of her memories away in order to preserve her mind and now she was undergoing the process of coming to terms with those memories. Adding their relationship issues into the problem was not helping things.

For now he'd give her space to allow her to heal. But damn it! It was slowly killing him inside not to be affectionate with her.

He sighed and slowed his pace.

One step at a time… Just like she wanted.

* * *

><p>When next his cell was opened Dasril expected to be greeted by the guard with his lunch. To his surprise whoever it was that stepped into the room then closed the door behind them, bearing no food tray or even a light to view them by. Had he not glimpsed the person's figure and noted its thinness he'd have assumed it was Alceolus again.<p>

His body filled with silent alert as he heard the figure approach the bars before flicking a finger against them, creating a ringing echo throughout the small chamber.

"What would Lord Dasril Foulkes give, I wonder, for a bottle of whiskey?"

His pointed ears perked in recognition of the voice and with interest at the offer. "That would depend on what you wanted?"

"Mere…information…"

"You think alcohol is enough to bribe me?"

"I've heard around that you value fine drink."

He frowned. It was not as if he had a reputation for it. "You've heard, or you've snooped?"

"A bit of both. I'm very perceptive if you hadn't noticed. What passes the notice of ordinary people, I pick up and analyze."

He leaned back on his cot. "Then it depends on what sort of information you desire."

"Nothing harmful, I promise."

"That too, depends."

"Then nothing I would use with the intent to harm."

Clever woman. It was no wonder she was part of the stealth division under Lady Brula. He smiled despite himself. "Very well then, I'll humor you."

"Link isn't really a friend of the prince's from boyhood, is he?"

He shook his head then realizing she couldn't see him, spoke aloud, "he is not. He and the prince only first met each other the night of the gala."

That is, he assumed. Based off of small facts that Zelda had provided him and his own personal deductions. The prince and old Sheikah only took a liking to him because of that blasted mark on his hand, nothing more.

Satisfied with the response, she queried further, "he seems uncommonly knowing for someone his age. I would list all the things that stuck out to me as odd – we've been interacting quite frequently with each other of late – but I fear you'd find it daunting. There are a few things that seem more important than the rest, for instance he is playing the part of a nobleman when obviously he is of the lower class, and he's been playing his part well from the first day. I don't know if he's had any amount of practice, but it really is quite impressive. I find him also experienced in many other qualities as well, swordplay and strategy come to mind. That little mission to the Augurer's fortress provided a huge amount of insight to his character."

"All good observations, Lady Dellage," he ceded with a note of awed regard to her talent.

"Amy will do." He heard her take a shallow breath before going on, "normally I do not concern myself with a single individual in particular, unless they are part of an assignment, but something about him stands out to me. The princess as well possesses a very ambiguous history."

"And you come here expecting me to have the answers you seek?" he pressed in interest, genuinely curious as to her reasoning.

She scoffed. "A nationwide search is declared for both you and Lord DeSage, we find you with the princess and upon returning to the castle you are immediately locked up in the dungeons. Is there any other non-obvious reason why I should not presume you know more than those other fops upstairs?"

"I may still know nothing."

"I seriously doubt that," she replied, voice ringing with incredulity. Her finger taped on the bottle she brought with her as she sloshed the liquid around.

Something suddenly occurred to him. "You've seen Link come down here, haven't you?"

He could practically hear the smile in her voice. "I have. I've also seen his behavior around that time he began sneaking down to the dungeons. Pacing the halls, muttering to himself, holing up in the Royal Wing, and then I found out that an unknown woman was staying there – at the time I didn't know her to be her highness – and more curious pieces of a puzzle had been given to me, but only a very few of them fit together."

"Tell me, does Lady Brula know of your audacity?" he asked, smirking.

"That is the reason why she had me enlisted in the stealth division in the first place," she said.

A woman with integrity. Now that he could admire. This conversation alone has proved to him that, bearing alcohol or not, she was more than deserving of the information she desired. He sniffed and got up from his cot to approach the bars, stopping a foot short of them. "Very well, I'll tell you."

The next half hour passed with him relaying the intricacies of his experiences of the past two years and a good deal of what he had been told and found out on his own. All the while the bottle of whiskey was passed back and forth through the bars as they wet their palates and spoke. It was not until just before the guard was due to arrive with his meal that she left.

* * *

><p>Zelda was on the balcony, staring up at the stars deep in thought. She veered her gaze over the town, lively with nightlife, her people wandering the streets on their evening strolls. The was bazaar still open at this late hour, serving its last customers as they readied to close for the night. These Hyruleans who did not know her, whom she had purposefully wiped memories of any trace of herself from their minds.<p>

Had it truly been for the best?

No one else seemed to think so. Brula had already uttered her displeasure of what she had done, and Zellandus had revealed his upset in his own distinct way. And Link…

Ever since their return to the castle he'd been acting very strange around her, more distant and recluse. It prompted her to act the same to him. It confused her, hadn't he wanted to fix everything between them?

He told her not to doubt him, but with his behavior how could she not?

She didn't react when a presence stole into her room and wandered over to the balcony. Slowly it took a place beside her. Link tentatively touched her hand. Her instinctive reaction was to pull away, not out of any sort of hesitance this time, but annoyance, but she forced it down. He was acting as if she were some sort of porcelain doll that would shatter at a touch. Why was he being so hesitant? Alas, she was no better. She too was hesitant, constantly worried about what he might think of her and what his reaction would be to everything she did. It made her realize that there were still quite a few barriers between them.

She narrowed her eyes as Link gave a small sigh. "I thought we should try summoning these golden fairies."

That was why he had come to her? Not to take pleasure in her company, but to include her in some sort of gain.

Leisurely he brushed his fingers up her arm, so gentle like the touch of a feather. It only served to frustrate her more.

"Zelda?"

"You do not have to be delicate with me," she said suddenly, a vehement note lining her voice. "You don't have to watch everything you say and do. I'd rather you at least be honest."

She had expected any reply of his to be accompanied by a hard edge in his tone. Instead what she received was one empty of emotion. "Look, I'm normally blunt or I'm normally silent. I tend to speak what's on my mind without considering if I'm being offensive or not."

It hadn't stopped him before while residing at Death Mountain, why should it stop him now?

She flit her eyes up at him to see that he was gazing out over the town, eyes illuminated by the tiny pinpricks of light from lanterns far below.

"Do you think offensive things about me?" she asked, curious to know. It interested her how he truthfully thought of her.

Link looked down at her, appalled. "Of course not! Well…sometimes. More along the lines of how you can be stubborn and infuriating."

Zelda, tried to reign back her indignation, really she did, but it budded through to inflect her tone despite her efforts. "I'll try not to take everything you say to heart then."

"Good. I can be crass and foolish on occasion," he said in his promised bluntness. "Only take what's important seriously. Only the good things. The other stuff...I don't mean them." He sighed and gingerly pressed his hand against her back, sweeping it up and fiddling with the ends of her hair. "I want us to be comfortable with each other. Please, confide in me."

Zelda snapped her head up, eyes alight as they met his. "Very well, I shall. I think you're being ridiculously careful about all of this, and it's annoying. I've seen you twice this entire day and during those times you tread around me as if I'm a redead, and you stalk me like a wolfos with his prey. As much as I love you, I don't enjoy your company when you're like this. And you'd better lay off before I seriously can't stand you."

She must have struck a nerve. He frowned down at her, the hand on her back tensing perceptibly. "Well, since we're confiding, I think you're compulsive. I don't know if whatever I'm going to say will set you off. I know how I want to act around you, but I don't know how you want me to act around you."

She turned to face him, balling her fists, angry enough to shout. "Be how you were with Mell!"

He had acted so enamored with her and secretly she longed for that type of relationship, so tender and loving and beautiful... It had been painful to witness.

His eyes hardened and she had to look away from the intensity of them. "No, I won't, because that wasn't real. If you want me, then you have me as I am. I don't know if I'll be the same in the years to come. We undergo the subtlest of changes as time passes, but at least it will be real."

She did not know whether to cry or to strangle him. "Then act as you wish to act! I don't want you to restrain yourself on my account."

Link growled, a feral sound as he grabbed her arms and pulled her toward him, "Fine!"

All at once he swooped in and kissed her hungrily. Zelda received this treatment in shock before reality settled over her mind and gingerly she responded. She moved her lips with his, hands grasping the front of his tunic, her soul crying out in bliss.

He held her to him when they broke apart, both of them gasping for breath. Zelda leaned her head into his chest, listening to the rapid beating of his heart. She was certain her own was beating just as quickly.

He stroked her hair. "I've been wanting to do that for the better part of the past few days but you've laid down these bloody infuriating steps and I don't know what I'm allowed in each of them and I fear that I'm failing at courting you because you give me no sign of what I'm doing is right. You don't giggle and blush like a normal girl. It's not a bad thing, but you're always composed and calm, so hard to read. I thought we agreed no more guessing. If I do something you don't like, tell me what I did wrong. Same with the opposite. If I do something right, tell me, ask for more or something. Give me feedback so that I have something to work with." He breathed harshly, voice breathy and manic with desperation, "And please tell me now, does step one entail any kissing?"

Zelda nodded, bewildered. "Y-yes, I do believe so… And more would be nice…"

His breath hitched. "Good!"

Before she knew it his lips had once more consumed hers, hot and passionate, full of yearning that had been long suppressed. An involuntary tear escaped her eye as she leaned into the kiss. His hands came up and cupped her face.

When next she drew breath her vision had hazed and her heart had gone rampant within her chest.

He sighed and hugged her to him, grumbling lowly. "Last time I listen to any advice Brula has to say."

Her ears flicked at the feel of his breath upon them. "What has Brula got to do with this?"

He was audibly gnashing his teeth, fingers digging into her back, but not enough to hurt. "She warned me that rushing things might only hinder your recovery."

"By staying away you impede my recovery," she said hotly, irritation swelling anew. "No more guessing? You had me guessing all day. I didn't know if it was something I'd done wrong or if you had lost interest or or…"

He ducked his head in embarrassment, hiding his face in her shoulder. "Like I said, no more listening to Brula."

"Idiot," she murmured fondly, nuzzling into him. "We set our own pace. Don't let it be dictated by others."

He pulled back and looked at her, eyes shimmering in the dark. "Well said."

She saw the kiss coming this time and received it slow and gentle, like a soft caress. It would have deepened further into something more heated if not for the intrusive cough by the balcony doors.

Zellandus stood lazily, looking as if he'd been there for some time. He flitted his eyes over the two of them and clicked his tongue. "I believe you said something about beginning at step one?" His eyebrow rose at the end in an unimpressed fashion.

Zelda flushed a deep red. She had been too absorbed in Link's presence to realize that he had been standing there for some time. She was about to reassure him that nothing further was going to happen when Link suddenly drew her close, a smirk on his lips as he sneered at her brother.

"That's what we're doing," he said smugly. Zellandus' eyes narrowed at him. Link smirked and gazed heatedly at her. "Step one, kiss senseless. Step two…" He grasped her chin and turned her head upward to face him, their noses almost touching. "Tear off clothes. Step three, make hot passionate love together." He brought their faces closer, breaths mingling. "Step four, repeat. But not necessarily in that order… and with different variations and combinations."

The overall effect would have been perfect if she'd not been staring at him with a flat and wholly unamused expression.

Zellandus balked. He squeezed his eyes shut and pressed a palm to his forehead. "I'm of a sudden overcome with illness…"

He rushed out of the room, his steps haste-induced, and slammed the door with a declarative bang.

Zelda immediately leveled Link a firm and heat-filled glare. "Did you really have to tease him like that?"

Link merely shrugged. "Yes."

She frowned and pushed away from him. "You didn't have to-"

"Yes I did."

"You could have-"

"No."

"You're not even listening to-"

"I am," he interjected, firming his hold on her. "I'm simply anticipating what you intend to say."

She was fast becoming angry, she could feel it rising, boiling like magma beneath her skin, however in an instant it faded away and she found herself smiling at him. This was a side of him she hadn't seen since the Twilight Era.

"So," he started, trying to distract her, "about those fairies..."

Fairies? Oh, yes. She remembered. Fairies. Right...

How did the Great Fairy say this worked again?

"Is this some mental communication process?" asked Link, frowning in genuine puzzlement.

Zelda was confused as well. How would the golden fairies hear them exactly?

"The Great Fairy said that we had only to call to them, but I'm not certain how..."

He pressed his thumb in her palm and touched his forehead against hers. "Let's just give it a go and see what happens."

"Alright," she said, closing her eyes. How did one go about calling to legendary golden fairies? They served the Goddess Hylia, didn't they? Perhaps they answered to prayer?

In her head she cleared her mind and began to pray, bequeathing the fairies to listen and answer her call. In her mind she recited the poetic psalm honoring the Goddess Hylia.

She waited, anticipating what, she could not say. The tinkling of wings, the chime of laughter, however nothing befell them but silence. She opened her eyes after waiting a full ten minutes to stare into Link's as he looked at her, his hopes equally dashed. Either they'd gone about it wrong or these fairies were somewhere far off and would take a while to arrive.

He sighed and pulled her along into the room. "Come on, let's get inside. It's drafty out here."

Dispassionately she followed, pausing as Link shut the balcony doors and latched them. He led her over to her bed and she sat down on it. He bid her goodnight, laying a gentle kiss on her brow, but before he could leave she grasped his arms tightly, eyes warm as they gazed up at him.

"Stay with me?" She did not want to relinquish his company yet, and more than that she wanted to simply be with him.

Silently he tugged off his tunic and shirt then began unlacing the strings of his boots. Zelda similarly prepared for bed, tugging on a long night gown before settling in, Link's arms winding around her as he drew her to his front.

He kissed her on the lips, slow and tenderly.

_**If you're deciding to continue with what I think you're both thinking of doing, remember that we're still here. We do not require sleep.**_

Link groaned in annoyance and punched the pillow. "We're not thinking of it, we're not even considering it!"

Zelda closed her eyes and pressed against him. "Really, don't you think it's too soon for that, Laval?"

_**My thoughts exactly**_, said Impa.

Grinning, Zelda nuzzled further into Link, ignoring his indignant grumbling, before falling into a deep slumber.

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><p><strong>AN: So a bit of Link's 'Villainous' personality spilled onto this chapter. I hope you guys don't mind. He's meant to be more serious and jaded here.**

**_Twokeyz_: I totally agree with you about Hylia. I don't think the manga is meant to be canon anyways, so as entertaining as it was to read, I don't count it as an accurate depiction of her character. If I ever do mention her, it will definitely be as the warrior Goddess she's supposed to be (or at least she's implied to be). It gives her more depth and appeal.**

**Sometimes I think I write Zelda as a bit too clueless. She's supposed to be wise, but when it comes to Link apparently she's hopeless. I'll try to work on that. And I give you a cookie for being right about Reth. Like Dasril, as long as he's still of use to the plot, he can't die yet.**

**Thank you for the encouragement! XOXO**


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: This took a while. I was actually busy world building and making a timeline (which I intend to post on deviantart in a few days). I put way too much effort into this :P It's all for you guys ^^**

**Special thanks goes to tetraforce theory for being 600th reviewer! Congrats! XOXO**

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><p><span><strong>Chapter 31<strong>

Zelda entered the Temple of Time, overwhelmed with nostalgia. It was not the original Temple of Time. That particular building was crumbling away somewhere, lost deep among the twisted trees of the woodland.

Looking up she surveyed this one, a grand cathedral no more than a few centuries old. Its stone spires reached skyward, statues of various heavenly beings and divine servants staring down at her in silent judgment. Two bell towers stood sentry at either end, 7 bells to each, the smallest of which a person could stand upright in. When they rang their song could be heard all throughout Castle Town.

Bowing her head she entered. The smell of incense and candle wax at once assaulting her nose. A few people sat in the pews, praying to the Golden Three or to the Goddess Hylia. A priest was roaming from one cloister to another with his duster, followed by a young priestess in training who carried a bucket of suds and a pile of cloths.

Zelda walked along the isle, the light shining from the stained glass windows striking her with an array of colors. She approached the small dais at the end and paused. The altar stood before her and upon it, cradled on a red velvet cushion, was the Divine Scepter, an ivory rod, which only the high priestess or the sovereign of Hyrule could touch. It emitted a light magic, the golden gemstone at its apex shining with exuberance at her presence as if calling out to her.

The moment she touched that scepter all of Hyrule would know their ruler had ascended. Just one touch and an entire nation would be hers to command once more. It recognized her so well by now that any ritual would be unnecessary. The Goddesses always chose her and so did it.

Just one small touch.

"You are hesitant," said a voice to her left. Looking over she saw a priest, his wrinkled face smoothed with a solemn expression as he smiled softly at her, hands folded in front of his white robes. "It sings for you."

She darted her eyes back to the scepter, realizing that it was indeed singing. Glancing around at the others in attendance she saw none of them react. Only she and the priest could hear it.

"You can use its power."

Zelda sighed. "It no longer possesses the magic it once had. Now it is but a symbol."

"And that was the power I spoke of," replied the priest. "Symbolism can hold great sway over people."

She looked back at him then at the scepter. It had been a gift from the heavens ages ago to a king who had promised to use it for the well being of the land and for his people. He had lied.

That was all that was known of the story, and it had been far before her time so she could not supplement it. Or perhaps, she could. If she had indeed lived more lifetimes than she remembered then maybe that period had been one of them. She'd have to wait for the golden fairies to see.

"And how do you know it would accept me?" she asked, arching a brow at him. "From some silly rumors you automatically deduce that I am the heir?"

"When the Goddesses speak, I listen," he answered, overtly tapping one of his pointed ears. "It is simply too bad that many ignore the callings of the Goddesses so do not hear their words. Any Hylian who actually paid attention could hear the murmurs of Hyrule gather around you."

"Perhaps they do not know how to listen," she replied demurely. Oftentimes when she had strained to hear the Goddesses revelations or prayed to them for advice and guidance she was met with nothing.

"Perhaps. Or perhaps they only attempt to listen when the words of the Goddesses are not needed."

And how many times had she called on them as she lay dying in Link's arms? Were they unneeded then? That entire voyage from Ganondorf's Tower to Hyrule field she had prayed for some sort of divine salvation. At least they had seen to it that Link had made it out alive. For that reason alone she could still revere them.

She turned to leave but paused as the priest spoke again.

"Will you not touch the scepter?"

He was hopeful and pleading. She fixed her cloak over her shoulders.

"I am undeserving," she said.

"Who are you to decree whether or not you are deserving?" he countered. "It is the people who decide. And the deities."

Wise words, but unwanted. Without saying anything else, she left the cathedral.

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><p>It wasn't foreign to Link how boring conferences could be. He had often been obliged to attend them as king alongside Zelda, although he wouldn't deny occasionally feigning illness to get out of the ones he knew were going to be more tedious, a privilege that Zelda did not have. As regnant queen there were many meetings that she had to attend, sick or not. Now though she was the lucky one. Unknown to most, she wasn't expected to attend any meetings at all.<p>

Presently he stood to Zellandus' side as the prince conducted the meeting. Or at least he was supposed to be conducting it. Watching him he was like a fidgety child during mass, with far too much energy stored up and wasted by being forced to sit still. It astonished him that anyone thought he was actually paying attention. As for Link, he made himself listen and learn as the foreign dignitaries and the royal council refined their treaties and discussed profitable agreements for both nations. He had picked up a lot of experience in his previous lives but only as much as a consort was enabled. Until now he'd never made full effort to learn how the particular intricacies of Hyrulean politics worked.

At least it was relatively easy for him to follow along. However, he still waited impatiently for it to end. Three hours cooped up in a single room was positively unbearable. He had taken to looking out the window whenever the ministers broke out in argument and shifted absently on his feet, holding back the urge to pace. He had a feeling that would be looked down upon. Lord Kincaid directed his beady eyes at him whenever he was about to take a step forward as if just daring him to do it. It was different now that he wasn't king. How he missed being the higher authority.

"Then it is settled," said the Labrynnian ambassador, Ira. She pushed her chair back and stood, prompting all present to do the same.

Zellandus rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, "Finally," and getting to his feet. He coughed when Brula scowled at him. "I mean – ahem – very well, meeting adjourned. Lord Fenton will see to it that the documents are written up."

"Yes your highness," said Lord Fenton, nodding as he gathered up his papers then left the council room to get to work.

Lady Ira gave Zellandus one last hard look before departing with her assistants. Some of the ministers remained to talk. Brula was in deep discussion with Lady Rielle and Lord Ivain.

Zellandus grumbled as he shot past them and out of the room. Link followed close behind.

"All that headache so early in the morning," the prince groaned, massaging his brows with both palms. "And I haven't had a single cup of tea yet. I swear, it takes at least four before anything becomes tolerable."

Link shook his head. Zellandus was never up for taking on the council, no matter how many cups of tea he had, but he did it anyways. That was enough to inspire devotion in him. "If you need four cups then maybe it's time to upgrade to coffee," he said.

The prince gave him a dour look then laughed. "Good one. I didn't think your peasant tastes – plebian as they are– could be that substandard. No, tea's the stuff." Zellandus chuckled further in amusement. "Coffee? Hah!"

Link shrugged. It had only been a light suggestion.

"Where's Zelda, do you know?" asked the prince, eyes suddenly narrowing as they honed in on Link. "I had heard from Laval that you kept vigil over her last night."

Farore, he'd been ousted! Running through a myriad of excuses in his mind he started with one that he thought was credible. "What you have to understand is-"

"Thank you," Zellandus cut him off, and Link stared at him in surprise. The prince took an unsteady breath and went on, "for looking out for her. If I weren't always bloody occupied I'd have stayed with her myself. Thank you for being there for her in my place. I can't imagine leaving her alone when she is only just recovering."

Slowly Link nodded, making certain to add an extra stomp to his heel whenever he took a step. Bloody Laval, the irritating Sheikah. Now he understood why Zellandus was always stomping on Carus.

"I care for her a great deal," Link added silently.

The prince nodded. "Yes, you both are partners in an endless cycle."

He frowned, ears twitching. "That's not the reason-"

"Oh, I know," said Zellandus, grinning at him knowingly. "And that's what makes it all the more meaningful." He retrieved a timepiece from his pocket and consulted it, then upped his pace. Link hastened to keep up with his longer strides.

They located Zelda in the courtyard. Many of the nobility had congregated there, wrapped in cozy cloaks and shawls and served hot drinks from servants hustling about. Snow fell from the sky in light flakes, once again covering the grass and stones. Later on in the day a mage would be called upon to clear it away either by heating it up or telekinetically. Unlike the training grounds and the bailey the grounds in the courtyard weren't magicked to keep away water and other liquids.

Many of the nobility had been impressed by Zelda's display of skill and were seeking to give the compliments they hadn't been able to yesterday when Link had pulled her aside. Link and Zellandus stood on the outskirts next to a sleeping rosebush and watched for a moment with amusement. A flash of annoyance shot through Link when he saw James among those in Zelda's circle, but really he wasn't threatening so he forced himself not to care. Zelda could be friends with whom she wanted.

"Advanced socialite already," said Zellandus, brushing away the golden frond of hair covering his left eye, a grin tugging his lips upward. "Runs in the family."

Link snorted. "She might be, but you're no socialite." He placed a hand on his hip, chin dipping as he cocked his head. "If you were not prince you'd be known as the court's popinjay."

Zellandus gaped and spluttered. "P-popinjay! The gall! How dare you! I should have you flogged for that. Ten strokes each syllable." He huffed, stomping away, indifferent to the silent chuckles of Carus from his shadow. "Popinjay indeed."

Link felt very much like a nursemaid as he tagged along. "Indeed," he said snidely.

Zellandus angled his head to glare at him over his shoulder before his eyes suddenly went wide and he ducked behind the nearest rosebush. Raising his eyebrows, Link glanced back and saw Lord Kincaid making his way over to them, only thirty paces away.

Seeing the proud prince hunkered down behind the rosebush like a child hiding from his tutors, Link decided to be wicked. How could he not, this was a perfect opportunity that only a fool would pass up. Feigning innocence he inclined his head at the Lord, now twenty paces away. "It looks like Lord Kincaid is searching for you. Some prior engagement that you conveniently overlooked, perhaps?"

Zellandus glared up at him. "Don't you say a word," he hissed. "It took a lot for me to get him to agree to convene in the kitchens after the meeting instead of staying in the council room. I don't need you ruining it all for me."

The kitchens? Those were all the way on the other side of the castle. He wondered what reason Zellandus would have to meet with the minister. Ah, he knew. Minister Kincaid was the Master of Ceremonies, after all.

"Shouldn't you be overseeing the final touches of this ball you're arranging? It _is_ the day after tomorrow," Link said, tapping his chin as if to ponder.

The prince grabbed at his hair, hissing. "Yes, but he doesn't need me to approve of every minute insignificant bloody incomplex detail! I don't care about colors and decorations, as long as the castle looks pretty! And arranging payment for the orchestra, he can bloody pay them what the hell he wants!"

Less than ten paces away. Link leveled him a wicked smile and stood straighter, pulling his shoulders back and crossing his arms. "Your highness crouching in bushes is hardly befitting of a prince," he said with purposeful loudness. He garnered the stares of a few nearby nobles but most importantly he had caught the ear of Kincaid, who rushed the last few steps to them.

"Link, is his highness around here? I could have sworn I saw him with you a few moments ago," huffed Kincaid, rather impatiently, his breaths coming in gasps. He eyed the rosebush suspiciously. Another step and he'd catch sight of the prince.

Knowing the jig was up, Zellandus shot to his feet and sent Link the most murderous glare the world has ever seen, before forcing his countenance into amiability.

"Ah, Lord Kincaid, I've been looking all over for you," he lied between clenched teeth, mouth fixed in a smile.

Link patted his shoulder in unrepentant apology.

The thinly lord observed the both of them, panting, having done his exercise for the day. "Your highness, crouching in bushes?"

"Well, yes, I wanted to see if roses bloomed in winter." He shrugged. "Apparently they do not. Wouldn't have known if I hadn't checked, would you?"

Kincaid looked about to retort before shaking his head, adjusting his spectacles. "Nevermind that! You wished to see me in the kitchens so we could have tea and biscuits while we discussed the seating arrangements for the dinner for the ball but you weren't there."

"Ah, was it the kitchens? I had thought I said the solarium and when you didn't show I went out in search for you," replied the prince, clasping his hands behind his back.

"Slip of the mind, no doubt," input Link jokingly. The glare Zellandus sent him suggested that he did not appreciate the comment one bit.

Kincaid gave a despondent sigh. "And they say forgetfulness is for the old. No matter, there is still time before the evening meal."

Zellandus' face grew white. "It will take that long?"

The lord began to tug on Zellandus' arm. "Come, we can work while having afternoon tea."

"That just ruins the tea!" Zellandus frantically twisted around and reached for Link, who took a hasty step back. "Link, don't leave me defenceless."

Link waved his hand in a dismissing gesture. "I can't. Date," he said cheerily, jerking his chin in the direction of Zelda.

A cold scoff came from the minister. "What is a simple swordsman compared to Carus. You have ample protection already."

Had the Sheikah been able to speak in public without scaring people out of their wits, he imagined Carus would have said something akin to, _damn right!_

Zellandus scowled and jerked his arm from the minister's grasp before marching toward the kitchens, resigned. Link chuckled then went to find Zelda.

Those in her circle parted for him after a bit of prodding and before he knew it he'd reached the center, quite unnerved by all the people she had attracted. She was speaking to another young woman her age when he got to her. He stood back and watched her as she charmed the entire court.

"I've heard all about the programs you've founded in the lower district of Breyenne. I also heard you plan on instating that same system here in Castle Town, an admirable endeavor," said Zelda, smiling kindly.

The woman Zelda spoke to was standoffish and appeared to have been forced to be the center of attention when she'd merely wanted to remain on the sidelines. She cast her eyes about as if more used to being met with ridicule than praise. At length she gave a soft smile of her own, bunching her hands in the fur of her cloak.

"Yes, I am. I understand that it won't be easy," the woman said this in a way that implied it had been repeated to her many times, "however any effort is bound to wield results, no matter how small."

Zelda surprised the woman by taking her hand. "I admire your dedication. You have my support. You have only to ask and any aid I can offer I shall give it." Essentially meaning, she'd force Zellandus into giving it.

The others around them muttered bewilderedly to one another. The woman flicked her gaze around, ears stiff and standing upward in self-consciousness but she nodded in thanks anyways. "It is greatly appreciated," she said sadly, as if convinced Zelda was only giving pleasantries and was not actually earnest.

Link swept his gaze over Zelda. Sure she was not all emotional about it, but anyone with two well working eyes could see that she was sincere. He gave a slight cough and Zelda's eyes brightened when she caught sight of him.

"Excuse me, ladies," she nodded and the women smiled, "gentlemen," she finished as the men gave pleasant bows.

Extracting herself from the circle she rushed to Link and took hold of his arm.

He greeted her with a kiss to her cheek before entwining her arm in his and leading her from the courtyard. "Enjoying yourself?"

Zelda walked with him and smiled, leaning into his warm body. "I hadn't realized I'd made such an impression yesterday when all I had wanted was some exercise."

He anchored her to him, his arm tightening its grip.

Earlier that day after sharing an early breakfast and briefly consulting with Deb, it had been decided that Zelda would be assigned to make rounds in the city and to check on the Goddess Marks. Naturally, Link had offered to accompany her. They could both do with a nice ride and it afforded them more time to spend together.

"It appears you have no qualms with mingling with your subjects," he said, his tone light. "Making connections were you?"

"In part," she answered deftly as they reached the stables then went to ready their horses. She released a long sigh, "The woman I spoke to is the Lady Lizéa. When I was a silly ignorant girl I was among those that ridiculed her. She'd aspired to help the poor escape their poverty, but there are so many unfortunates that I thought she'd been seeking to do the impossible. Her idea was noble but crazy nonetheless."

Link looked up from strapping the saddle onto Epona. He saw the regret in her eyes and his softened in sympathy.

How foolish they'd been as adolescents without the knowledge their memories gave them. They had not been allotted the same understanding of what constituted as significant and what was deemed worthwhile. Lack of social understanding had made them self-centered with little concern over the feelings of others and how mere words could impact another's confidence. They had been the typical teenagers, exactly like everyone else until their seventeenth birthdays whereupon they'd gained insight to themselves and to the world. However his insight came from being the underdog. Zelda had always been top dog, and the guilt that brought only made it worse for her.

"Poor will be poor," Zelda continued, adjusting the harness on her courser. The horse snorted softly into her hand. "And any who somehow found success and amassed wealth were lucky. What I did not understand was once one falls into the pit of poverty it is next to impossible to climb back out. Parents usually become the scaffold for their children until eventually many generations later they might emerge, but still there is always the threat of toppling over and others climbing over them, pushing them back down. Lizéa's right. How can they escape if not with our help?"

It was the same revelation every lifetime, and as in every other life, Zelda would do her utmost to bridge the gap between poor and the well off. She was repeating what she had said in every other instance, however Link did not complain nor was he bothered by the sense of déjà vu.

She swung up in her saddle, leading the horse from the stables. Link mounted Epona and followed after her. The gate guards gave them a nod as they passed and entered the town square, horses plodding slowly through the snow.

Zelda directed them to the first mark, a faded blue etching on the base of the giant stone fountain in the center of the square. She hopped off her horse and knelt down to get a better look at it. Her fingers trailed over the design before feeding her magic into it.

Link watched silently from atop his mount, sniffing at the cold. "Surely she has to know now that with the support of the future Queen of Hyrule she'll have far more success. I'd say that would boost her morale by a leap."

Zelda nodded absently as she concentrated on the mark. Two-hundred-and-twelve in total located at various points around the town, one for each district. He'd learned from the Commander that the Goddess Marks had been an innovation of the late king, meant to activate with the touch of light magic. They were portals that would send those in range to Hyrule's various outer cities for safety. These cities were closest to the borders in case it became necessary to flee Hyrule. This was how they were going to evacuate the people. Hawk's had been sent out to the cities to warn them of the impending surge of people. They'd be stressed to gather enough food and arrange accommodations for everyone, especially as it was winter, but he reasoned that it was better than staying in Castle Town if it came under siege.

Fourteen other mages had been drafted by Deb to assist in checking on the marks. When activated the marks would encompass all of the Town and the Castle. None but the army would be left behind.

"That it would," said Zelda almost too silently to hear over the background noise of town life. "If she knew for certain that I was princess."

He started at her pronouncement. "Wait, you mean that-?"

Finished with ascertaining that the mark would function when the time came, Zelda returned to her stead and swung up. She kicked it forward and rode to the next district.

Clenching his jaw, he spurred his horse to trot alongside her. Her eyes were notably averted, taking in the sights as they wandered.

"Zelda," he said in a growl. "You haven't discharged the focus? Where were you this morning?"

"Paying my respects at the temple," she replied, tone suddenly becoming playful as she cast him a wry smile. "Should I have been elsewhere?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Out returning everyone's memories for one. Your people have a right to know you."

Her eyes shone. "Do you know where the focus is?"

"None of us do," he responded, irksomely. He, Zellandus, Brula, Byron and Deb had all searched for it for countless hours. Whatever it was and wherever it was hidden they would not know without Zelda's help.

"Well then, I shan't help you there."

Goddesses knew how this woman's brain worked. This was serious!

"Zelda, where is it?" he growled, but she only flashed him a smile and abruptly steered her horse in front of a cart. He grumbled as he waited for the Goron pulling the cart to pass by then shot after her down a side street.

"Shortcut," she called as they made their way along the narrow passage, knees barely brushing the sides of houses. It was a good thing they were the only ones in the lane. There'd be no room for others to pass them.

"Answer me, Zelda," he said more harshly.

They emerged into one of the main streets that cut Castle Town into four and weaved through the crowd of townsfolk. He recalled a few months ago when he'd first arrived with Adra and Vrel and how awed both his friends had been upon trodding down the busy streets. He tensed as the very thought of Vrel sent a pang of pain through his chest. He was used to and he accepted betrayal pretty well - in his opinion - yet having the one who betrayed him be his childhood friend, someone who had always been altruistic, made it all the more hurtful. Did he regret any of it? Could Vrel even stand that much guilt?

He hadn't seen his friend in weeks, and though anger ate at him, he couldn't help but hope that Vrel was alright.

He shook his thoughts clear and repeated more insistently, "Zelda!"

Instead of giving an answer, Zelda gestured at the people. "Look at them, Link."

Frowning, he did as told and skimmed his sights over the various pedestrians and vendors. People talking under the cover of awnings, entering and leaving dining houses and shops, children roughhousing in untouched patches of snow. He looked up and met her eyes, so contented, her demeanor serene.

"No one is darting out of the way for me, you don't see anyone bowing in respect. All I receive are smiles and the rough grumblings of moody Hyruleans whenever I get in their way. No one knows who I am. There's no threat of being recognized as royalty. True, I may look like Zellandus, but only the nobles really have caught onto that. It's what I've wanted for so long. To be among my people not as someone greater than them, but as one of them. Allow me this small bit of selfishness, please."

He blinked in startlement, surprised with her confession. She'd never told him this, and now he gazed at her in a new light, suddenly understanding. Always she'd been born into royalty, never able to wander among her own people without fanfare or under disguise. If it had been unbearable for him as king, it must have been a thousand times worse for her, who never had a chance to actually act as a normal citizen, not in any of their lives. This must have been quite liberating for her.

Absently he pushed locating the focus to the back of his mental list of things needed-to-get-done. She deserved this freedom at least, for however long it would last.

His gaze softened and he looked at her fondly, mouth stretching in a slight smile.

She turned to him swiftly. "Please understand, Link. I am not abandoning my claim to the throne, nor do I intend on carrying on this façade indefinitely. I am simply postponing-"

"I understand," he interrupted her gently.

She looked at him in disbelief before gifting him with an enormous smile, filled with appreciation. It tugged at his heartstrings, endearing her even more to him.

"Come on," he said, nudging Epona forward, "we still have seven more marks to check on."

She laughed at his sudden eagerness. "Seventeen," she corrected.

The groan he gave out was halfhearted and meant for her amusement. He was rewarded with another laugh from her and couldn't help his visage being overtaken by a wide grin.

He didn't mind that they still had so many to go. He anticipated it would take the rest of the day to cover them all. Nearly an entire day spent with Zelda. Who was he to complain really?

* * *

><p>He hadn't been eating properly and his stomach whined about it incessantly. Dasril's face remained gaunt from his time in prison, the subsequent weeks spent travelling, then followed by another stay in prison, and had yet to fill out. Apparently liquor was not a good substitute for proper sustenance, but it was the only thing he could tolerate. He had no intention of becoming an alcoholic, but it seemed he was heading down that road anyways. It couldn't be helped. He was only man. A very weak man. When once he possessed strength and vitality, all that was now gone. He had nothing.<p>

He leaned against the arched window, overlooking the crowd in the courtyard, watching them. Always watching, no longer did he partake. He had seen her there, her golden tendrils making her stick out among the masses. He could have sworn she glowed. He'd watching indifferently as she left with the prince's bodyguard. His heart had ached too much recently to actually feel the pain anymore.

He lingered at the window as if subconsciously waiting for her to come back. An hour later his subconscious seemed to give up and he tore himself away, heading for his rooms.

He was on probation. By Zelda's mercy he had not been executed. He had also escaped torture and many other foul outlooks that might have befallen him - although he could have argued against the former. He had been let out of the dungeons, able to roam freely throughout the castle but nowhere else. He was not allowed to leave. This was his punishment and it was set to last ten years. In addition, his position as Minister of Foreign Affairs had been stripped from him. He'd seen his replacement, Lord Fenton. He knew the man, he'd do his job well, but not as well as him.

Upon arriving at his chambers he closed the door and locked it, resting his palms on the wood as he closed his eyes. His stomach was complaining again, urging him to eat. He strode to his bed and sat on it, leaning over, head in hands.

A slight shifting of his shadow almost made him jolt before he calmed back down. That had been another condition of his probation. A Sheikah had been assigned to him, not as guardian but as warden. Orretus was his name, and so far he'd had little conversation with the shadow being. Not that he cared anyway. He preferred the silence and as long as the Sheikah kept his movements to a minimum, he could pretend that he had solitude as well.

He had kept out of sight upon his release, not wanting to bother with anybody at the moment. It was only a matter of time though before people noticed his return. And when they did he was supposed to tell them he had experienced a heart sickness while on his travels and that was why he did not resume his post as minister.

He scoffed. It may as well not be a lie. Indeed, wasn't he sick of heart?

Groaning, he laid down, throwing an arm over his eyes to block out the light.

Since her initial visit to his cell he'd not had another chance to speak with Amy. He knew not whether she had mentioned anything to the others of what he had told her, that Link and Zelda were the reincarnations of the Goddesses' destined, but he didn't think she would. She seemed the type to keep secrets and use them to her advantage. He hoped she used this one to shock the prince's bodyguard out of his wits. Or perhaps to play with his mind and subtly tease him with her knowledge. It was what he would do in her place.

His last concern pertained to Lord Perrington. It appeared the man had taken his advice and bolted. As with he and Reth, a search had been issued for him. With so many ministers disappearing it had aroused the people's suspicions, but from what he had gathered from Commander Shira, she and the others believed that this disappearance was the beginning of Lord Xerthos' plot. An extra close watch had been placed on the rest of the ministers just in case he planned to eliminate them as well.

Dasril kept his silence on the matter. He was only glad Alceolus had heeded his warning. He would not betray him now. He hoped the fat lord would go somewhere far off to live out his life without any fear of ever being found again. If Lord Xerthos did decide to come after him, may it be when Alceolus was old and mostly dead already.

He frowned at the thought of his former lord.

Lord Xerthos would be attacking soon, he could feel it. He had given all the information he could to aid Zelda, but would it be enough? Lord Xerthos possessed insurmountable power, surely he'd succeed in conquering Hyrule. And when he did what then would he have in store for him, the traitor?

He rolled over and forced his mind to blank, intending on falling into a deep slumber.

Only time would tell.

* * *

><p>The stones were cool against Frayne's bare feet. Her skin lapped up the thin layer of water covering the floor as she trod through the halls, leaving ripples in her wake. As was usual Atris and Lysander were not far behind her, always watchful of her safety even while within the Lakebed Temple. Not even here was she permitted respite from her guards. Did they think her incapable of navigating the temple without assistance? She may be handicapped but she was not that badly off.<p>

Mentally she sighed. On any ordinary day she would have yearned for some solitude. The tiniest bit would be enough, yet for once she was thankful of their presence. Heavens above, she was thankful.

It had been building within the past few days, this feeling…so dark…so foreboding, like a black taint in the air swarming its tendrils around her, probing the corners of her vision wherever she went and crawling along the ceiling. Everything was in dissonance and she didn't know what to make of it. But she did know one thing for certain. Something bad was about to happen, and it was going to happen soon. This was not just the danger that this new enemy, this so-called 'Lord Xerthos', posed to Hyrule. This feeling was closer to home and it made her anxious.

The Zora. What would become of the Zora?

When consulting her visions she was shown the Queen Zora kneeling on the surface of a broad ocean with no end in sight. The sky was dark and the queen was alone. Upon closer inspection of the image, she had looked into the queen's eyes. They were half-lidded, but most fearfully they were blank as if Queen Helerra was comatose to the world around her.

Over and over again she received the same vision. Always the queen sat on that same stretch of water. Rollicking waves swerved around her yet she never moved and never seemed to notice them.

Frayne found it a challenge to discern the meaning of this one, but one thing she knew was that it did not bode well. She'd wanted to go immediately to check up on the queen, however, each time she thought of returning to Zora's Domain there was a slight tug at her conscious as if warning her against it.

It aggravated her. The Goddesses wanted her to somehow help her queen, yet they did not want her to leave the temple? Why then? How could she do anything when she was so far away?

She paused in her step. Her shoulders tensed as she sensed it. And there it was, that foreboding feeling again. It made her fins twitch nervously. Goddesses it was oppressing. She might be ill simply standing there.

"Lady Frayne, is something wrong?" asked Atris, coming up beside her.

It was almost excruciating and if it weren't for the holy atmosphere of the temple she would have fainted dead away. Thank Nayru she was on sacred ground.

"Lysander," she said stiffly without turning. She could practically hear them shoot to attention at her address.

"Yes, my lady?" shot Lysander straight out like a good little puppy.

Frayne held back the bite in her tone. "How many dragon eggs does it take to drown a penumbra?"

She heard the small intake of breath as Lysander was about to answer before he paused as her question registered and rendered him baffled.

"Atris, help him," she ordered, continuing on down the hallway, her webbed hand trailing the limestone wall.

While they fried their brains on that, she mused once more on her vision. Great Jabu Jabu, it was almost as depressing a venture as that pointless enigma she'd just given her guards.

Queen Helerra, out on the ocean... It didn't even faze her that she was actually _on_ the ocean as if it were a solid element, rather than floating in it. Perhaps it was best to look at the picture from a broader aspect. The main theme appeared quite evident. Isolation. Now the question was, would it be mental, physical or spiritual? Remembering the queen's expression she deduced mental. Her eyes had been void of feeling, neither scared nor angered as she imagined they would have been were it physical or spiritual. And what would induce it?

If Zoras could sweat her brow would be beading with slimy trails as the intensity of that feeling of wrongness heightened. Her fins flicked madly, and a headache was forming listening to the discussion her bodyguards were having about her question.

She hastened her pace knowing that once she reached the prayer room she'd feel much better.

"Lady Frayne," Atris prodded hesitantly in an uncertain voice, "might your question possess metaphors?"

Dear Nayru but they were dim. "No," she snapped out, hardly restraining the groan welling up within her throat. The pounding in her head abruptly worsened. "It is exactly how I said it."

"But then it is not logical," input Lysander. "One cannot be drowned with dragon eggs."

"Unless if you were to smash them open when they are fairly early in the incubation period," said Atris handedly, "However, since a penumbra is not a physical thing it cannot drown. So there is no answer."

"Or the answer is that the question is not valid," added Lysander.

Her heart was beating rapidly within her chest but slowed when she finally touched the doors to the prayer room. The holy essence they emitted was soothing as it swept through her being, pulling everything back to homeostasis. She released a shallow breath, basking in the feeling of calm.

"It is disheartening how long it took you both to reach that conclusion," she said before pushing the doors open and going in.

The Zoras cast sheepish glances at one another, which went undetected by Frayne as she paced to the very center of the chamber and sat down cross-legged. The doors were shut and she was finally alone. Relatively speaking that is. Atris and Lysander would wait for her outside the door like they always did.

She was glad of them. She may resent them at times – during all her waking hours mostly - but they were a source of reassurance to her. She hated relying on others so much, but she wasn't so proud that she couldn't acknowledge that oftentimes she needed the assistance.

Deftly she lay down her staff and crossed her forearms before her in the sign of the Zora. She allowed her eyes to drift shut.

She stared at the blackness of the back of her eyelids and waited, wondering how long it would take this vision to come to her. It took her only a moment before she realized that this was the vision. This darkness around her was thick and different, not of the mortal realm. It was hot, almost to the point of boiling, and there was a soft thud. Drums. Two short strikes and then a pause. Two strikes and a pause. It grew louder and faster until it filled her ears and she feared the vessels in her head would burst. It became deafening until all of a sudden it stopped.

Her vision then showed her the Queen Zora, but this time there was no watery vista as a backdrop. What she saw was Helerra's blank face, eyes closed. The queen's eyes snapped open and a scream rent the air.

Frayne was torn back to reality by that same scream that had filled her vision. Instantly she was on her feet, grabbing her staff and charging for the door.

That had been Atris. And while it was true that he could be quite vocal when attacking during a fight, this was no battle cry. It was anguished.

She dithered at the doors for a fleeting second before resolutely thrusting them open. Whatever had made Atris cry out would find her cornered either way whether she was in the prayer room or out in the open hallway. Neither of the other two Zoras were in sight. Sometime while she had been immersed in her vision both her bodyguards had left their posts, which was an extraordinary occurrence. Nothing came before their duty, nothing! So why had they gone?

Her brow furrowed as she looked down the hall. This wasn't right. Should she forge on and find them or wait until they returned for her?

The sound of a scuffle up ahead decided her and soon she was pelting towards it, grateful for her human heritage that allowed her to have smaller feet with very little web which would have made running awkward.

The corridor split two ways at the end. Turning right she abruptly was brought sprawling to the floor as she slipped on something thick and slimier than water.

How humiliating. Soon they'd be thinking that not only did she need monitoring when swimming, but also for walking.

Rubbing her temples she pushed up and took mental stock of her body, feeling for injuries. Everything was going in circles and she closed her eyes to settle her nausea. When she peeked them back open her sight caught something splattered over her arm. Looking further down she saw that her side and hip were covered in that same substance. It was blood.

Quavering, she got to her feet, using some jutting coral for support. She took a step forward and then gave a startled gasp.

She'd found Lysander. Or rather, his head.

_Hylia almighty!_

Her heart pounded frantically in her chest, bile rising in her throat as she held up an arm as if wanting to reach for him but too afraid to touch.

"Lysander. Dear Goddesses, no," she breathed.

What could have done this? There was no way anyone could have reached the temple unless they were a Zora or had magical assistance. Was this the first strike? Had the enemy made its move, decreeing that the Zora would be the first to fall?

Promising to return to collect the rest of Lysander for a proper burial, she carried on more cautiously now. She had to locate Atris. They had to get out of here.

A sinking feeling told her that she would not be leaving…

Although both Atris and Lysander would scream at her to flee, insisting that her life was more valuable than theirs, she couldn't. It would be useless anyways. Her handicaps left her disadvantaged on both land and in the water. If this murderer were to pursue her she'd be overcome in an instant. And there was no doubt in her mind that she was its main objective. She or the temple, and as guardian of the Water Temple she could not abandon it.

She came upon Atris in the next open chamber she arrived at. He was faced away from her, standing close to a being clad in intricate navy blue leather armor, plated over one another in a daedal design.

Frayne grew rigid, her small black eyes swirling with fear as she called to him. "Atris?"

However, the male Zora did not react to her voice. He gave no indication that he was aware of her presence at all.

The being, a human woman with voluptuous hair as red as blood, then nudged him on his shoulder and Atris fell sideways and collapsed to the ground, red quickly blossoming in the water.

So both of them were gone, failed when she needed them most. Frayne fortified herself and faced the woman, planting her staff beside her, determined not to waver.

"And that," the woman said, her voice a deep feminine, flicking her falchion to clear it of most of the blood, "Is how one goes fishing."

Again, bile threatened to surge up her throat. She knew this woman by reputation only. Her notoriety preceded her wherever she went and although far away from her place of origin, the water folk were the most informed of things in other parts of the world, their water ways the ideal conduct for messages, warnings, and the like.

"Dread Witch," Frayne greeted far more calmly than she felt.

The woman leveled her jeering eyes at the priestess, a sly smile curving her lips. "That I am. Vivienne the Dread Witch. Your dear friends knew of me as well. A pity, it ruined the surprise. I do adore surprises. But only when I am the one giving them, hmmhmm."

Frayne struggled not to stare at the gleaming falchion at Vivienne's side, the sharp edge of the blade menacing and stained from where it had hacked into Atris' chest. She kept her distance even though she knew that any moment now the Sorceress could strike from afar with her dark magic.

She could admit to cold fear at the sight of that weapon, marred with Atris' blood. "What-"

She choked as a rough hand abruptly snatched the wrist holding her staff and forced her to drop it before twisting her arm behind her back, causing her fin to be caught at an odd angle, bending it painfully. The hand let go and took hold of her head tail, yanking it back and forcing her chin to jut in the air.

Something thin and cold pressed to the fragile skin of her throat. Steady breathing caressed her cheek as she stilled, filled with horror.

"There you are, hon," Vivienne chirped, sweeping her hair over her shoulder. The swirling brown of her eyes deepened a shade darker. "My you look stunning as you are. Very threatening. Like your own brand of danger."

The person behind her was large with arms built with muscle as thick as her thighs. His grip on her head tail suggested he possessed powerful crushing hands. There would be no squirming out of his grasp, even without the deadly metal at her neck.

At so close a range she could sense the one behind her. A male. He was tainted. His essence was filled with vice. She sensed the Dread Witch's dark power fill his veins, corrupting and dominating.

"Are we going to take her hostage, Vivienne?" the man said, his deep tone reverberating through her entire body.

Vivienne chuckled. "Now why would we want that kind of burden," she said, turning away. "Kill her, Vrel my darling."

She could hear her heart pounding in her ears, quick successions of two great thumps. There was a slight pressure against her neck as the cold metal pricked at her scales. Why hadn't she ever noticed how flimsy they were before now? Nothing like the scales of a dragon, which coated them like armor. It occurred to her that Zoras were so very fragile…

The pounding of her heart reached a crescendo and suddenly she understood. She knew what her vision had meant.

The steel sliced through her throat.

Then all was darkness…

* * *

><p><em>What have I done?! <em>

The thought came to Vrel's mind unbidden, and for some reason it bothered him. But not as much as he thought it should have. Instead he looked solemnly on at the Zora he had just killed. Killed, huh. He'd never done that before, yet within the past few minutes he had done it twice. Had he really just chopped off a Zora's head and slit the throat of another? Was this the power Vivienne had promised him? To control whether one lived or died?

That Zora guard had been an expert in his field with years of training and experience to back him up, yet it had only taken a matter of seconds to disarm and execute him. Such power… Would he be able to defeat Link now?

It had been a while since he'd thought of Link. Over the course of the weeks he'd been pushed to the back of his mind, unimportant compared to what Vivienne was teaching him. To kill…

It wasn't necessarily a good feeling, but it wasn't bad either. Something in between. In any case it didn't really matter. The deed was done, no point musing on it.

"Very dab and dreary," said Vivienne, take a sweep of her surroundings. She nonchalantly stepped over the Zora body at her feet, making certain to kick the head. "And the smell," she inhaled through her nose. "It reminds me of brine. I must return to the sea sometime. Nothing is more magnificent than the feel of the wind as you sail across the great waters, hon. Someday I should take you with me on a ship, wouldn't that be a wonderful experience."

He had no particular desire to go sailing. He had no desire to go anywhere or do anything really. There was simply no point. But if she were to order him to he would.

He tore his eyes away from the pale blue form crumpled before him to look at Vivienne, at once enchanted by her beauty.

"That Zora, she called you the Dread Witch?" he asked out of curiosity. It was an interesting title. A part of him almost felt fear at it, while another was awed. Again, it was something between a good and bad feeling.

Vivienne shrugged. "It is something I am called back in my homeland."

"And where is your homeland," he pressed, encouraged by her answer.

She twirled around to face him, hair sweeping in the air before bunching in curled heaps around her shoulders and down her back. "A place on a another continent, all the way on the other side of the world. I am well known there, well respected. But I am also known throughout the western coastlines of this continent as well. Has your curiosity been sated or shall we go on with your investigative prying?"

_Not nearly sated enough_, thought Vrel. Her mysteriousness was daunting at times, and often she intimidated him whenever he was reminded of her superior amount of experience.

He dared not prompt her further. She was nice enough to answer a few of his questions for once. He didn't want to seem overly rude by nagging her.

Instead he asked, "What do you wish for me to do with the bodies?"

She lifted her chin, her eyes piercing and studious. "Whatever do you mean, hon? Unless you want to gut them so we can have fried fish."

The very thought of that made his stomach churn. "So that they can be given a proper Zoran burial. I'm not sure how the Zoras process their dead."

At once he knew he'd disappointed her. He saw it in the way she looked at him now.

"Ohhhh," she murmured, giving him a sad smile. She came over to him and placed a warm hand on his cheek, thumb caressing back and forth. He closed his eyes and drank up her affection.

"Vrel hon, you still need some work with, don't you?" she cooed softly, holding him around his broad shoulders. He dropped his broadsword onto the body of the Zora woman and bent to embrace her.

"Don't worry, my darling," Vivienne hummed soothingly into his chest. "Soon, very soon, you'll be complete. You'll be better than the others. The best I've ever created."

The longer he held her the more the world began to fade until it was only them two. Nothing else existed but him and his mistress. He lived for her… and he would die for her.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hey guys, if this ever gets too dark and disturbing for you just tell me and I'll tone down my descriptions. My sister says I have some very dark ideas and I don't want to go scaring anyone away. Things are going to go downhill and I fervently advise those with weak stomachs to turn away now. However, I trust that most of you are made of stern stuff, so plow on my lovelies and enjoy the morbid themes!**

**Last few notes:**

**Yes Frayne is actually dead, and no she won't be pulling an Adra or a Reth. I don't know how I'd pull that off, given that I expressly described her death in full detail instead of leaving it vague as I did for the others. Sadly, she's going to stay dead. :(**

**If you haven't caught onto the hints already, yes Vrel is being slowly corrupted by Vivienne's evil magic. Not too much of a giveaway I hope. It seems very obvious at the end here.**

**Aaand that's about it for now.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: A few things to announce. First the official 'Dead Inside' timeline has been posted on Deviantart! You can go through my profile to check it out. Secondly, I'm really sorry for the first part of this chapter! I feel so awful and cruel and I don't condone anything that my villains do! Remember, dark and disturbing, you guys asked for it. And this is only just the beginning, eep! **

**Rating changed to M for violence!**

**As always, thanks for the reviews: Bloodspire, Prometheus17, Doodle Ladle, OverlordOfGrammaticalCorrections, Generala, FallenAngel2298, 11lol11, DarknessFathom, GreenFantasy64, Ancient . tree, Death Waltz, TwilightPrincessZelink4Ever, mizuki akazawa, Guest (may 10), Wolf, Fang and Altair, Twokeyz, Astercia, Sinares, Fairy Proxi, JoyceDare, Avalon, lmnop, HeartZelda, Tranquil mind, tetraforce theory, PrincessPeach, diabolical . me, Kukiel, and A True NaZaMi Fan!**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 32<span>**

Reth was in his element!

He stood, grinning a sinister smile that bespoke of foul intentions as he faced off against the Zora Queen. He observed her tall and proud bearing, black beady eyes narrowed into furious slits as she glared at him, the fins on her arms flicking out with each angry breath. They were in the throne room, Reth hovering gleefully over the pool at the center, arms crossed and chin tilted at an amused angle. Around them were her court and her guards, the best of the Zoras, yet all of them subdued. Their harpoons were lowered, not a one of them positioned to attack in any way.

Why?

Two reasons, one because finally he'd been allotted the use of the Black Corps, Vivienne's greatest creations, in order to utilize them for what they were made for. They'd assisted him in sneaking into Zoras Domain and cornering her prim little majesty against her throne. They held her at sword point, their forms tense in readiness for the slightest movement on her part, keaton masks staring blankly ahead. An eerie sight indeed.

The second reason was due to what he held aloft, grasped loosely in his hand. He near shook with delight from just remembering their horrified gazes when he'd revealed to them his prize. The head of the Zoran priestess. Having been gifted it by Vivienne once she'd meticulously completed her assigned task of claiming the Lakebed Temple, he dangled it by its flimsy headtail and flaunted it proudly for all the Zoras to see.

She'd been a mongrel, a revolting creature for sure. Ah, well, it was best that she was dead.

Bright orange orbs flashed in delight. "Well, Queen Zora. What will it be?"

Queen Helerra snarled in rage, glaring at him with deadly vehemence and fighting not to be affected by the sight of her decapitated friend. "This would not be the first time a Zora Queen has fallen because of defiance. If you think for one moment that either myself or my people will bow down to this demon's rule, you are very much mistaken. My life is nothing compared to the freedom of the Zoras. It is by their choice that they serve the Hyrulean throne and none other."

How wondrously spirited she was. Reth slipped the head further down to grasp at the very end of the headtail and began twirling it. Many of the Zoras hissed in indignation at the treatment, but dear Frayne was not here to care, was she.

"'Tis a pity," he said condescendingly. "As much as I would like to take this Goddess given opportunity to rip your chest open and tear out your heart, it was not my intention to come here to kill. I merely wish for you to withdraw your support for the Hylians and do nothing when my lord takes over. See, you'll all have an easy life. Just sit back and watch without interference and we will not spare you and your pisces lot a second glance." He chuckled and swiped his dark fringe back. "Lord Xerthos has no desire to associate with dinner bits more than necessary."

The chamber was encased in silence. Reth idly wondered what the Zoras would do should their queen choose death. Would they obey her like good little fish spawn, or fight against him anyways in a futile attempt to save her life.

He smiled and goaded. "And what's this? No heir I see. Would you really bereave your people of a royal figurehead?"

"Then my family's dynasty shall end and another would be chosen to replace me as monarch," she spat, fins flaring. She growled silently and looked down into the pool. When she raised her head again her eyes were hard and resolute. "No. Death for freedom. We will not join you or your lord."

The sword points stayed, the Black Corps awaiting a single word from Reth. The Mad Minister beamed, his white teeth flashing as he showed his jubilance. Helerra's glare only hardened.

"That is the way to go," cheered Reth, tossing the head up and catching it by the chin. He held the priestess' head with her cheek cradled in his open palm. "Because now I can do this."

He waved his hand and one of the masked beings strode in carrying a bucket of sloshing water. The Black Corps reached inside and withdrew what looked to be a small round fish with an abnormally large head and long tail. It resembled almost like a tadpole. He held it up for all to see before plunging it back in the bucket.

"Your young are quite ghastly, aren't they," Reth mused. He surveyed the room and it lifted his heart to see all their looks of horror and desperation. He had the upper hand, this they all knew and could do nothing about.

"Zora Domain is the main source of freshwater in Hyrule and Termina, correct?" said Reth, voice tinged with delight. Wouldn't they be amazed at where this was leading up to? "Essentially, if anything happened to the waterways it would be your fault. Countless people depend on their precious freshwater, don't they? What if it were to be…tainted?"

Helerra sat up in her throne, teeth bared, uncaring of the multitude of swords trained on her. "You wouldn't dare!"

Reth smiled cheekily, unearthing a vial filled with a black swirling liquid. "This particular extract is a creation of my own. Shall we see what happens to your precious little guppy when it comes into contact with it?"

He didn't spare a moment to hear her answer, instead he levitated the vial over to the Black Corps who then unstoppered it and poured a good amount into the bucket. Reth's ears flicked as Helerra gave a startled cry. Others too were shouting their outrage, however his gaze was fixed on the bucket and the spawn within.

The black liquid dissipated quickly in the water, rendered colorless. Its effects were immediate. The Zora babe thrashed, water swirling and sloshing over the sides as it tried to leap out. The man in the keaton mask shoved it back inside, where it floundered in agony. After a while it stilled and became limp, before suddenly it snapped its eyes wide and rammed its head on the side of the bucket. Over and over again it bashed into the side in a mad frenzy.

The Black Corps stuck his hand in and pulled it out by its tail and it squirmed madly like a writhing snake, hissing and spitting. Its small mouth was open and snapping. It was doing its hardest to reach up and bite at the man's gloved fingers.

Reth then assessed the reactions of the Zoras. If only he had a pictobox so that he could capture their expressions and keep it as a fond momento.

He turned back to the Zora Queen, who had slumped back against her seat, her pinkish complexion paler than normal.

"Just a babe," she muttered, covering her face with her webbed hands. "Only days hatched…"

"Again, your majesty. Your answer?" cooed Reth, fingering the head nestled in his hand.

Helerra squeezed her eyes shut. In the back someone was wailing. The mother of the pathetic little guppy, no doubt. Reth patiently waited for the queen to give in, for her to cede the freedom of the Zoras.

She tensely waved her hand, turning her head to the side so she wouldn't have to look at anyone. "You win. The Zoras are yours…"

Sparks ignited in his flaming orange eyes, the feeling of triumph overwhelming him, almost as good as the sensation of warm blood passing through his fingers after a kill. He faced the rest of the Zoras and many shrank back at the sight of his haunting eyes.

"It is done then. My servants I leave here to ensure that you stay true to our bargain. I leave for more substantial enterprises."

Yes. Greater things awaited him. The battle for Hyrule was almost upon them and he'd be there to help lead it.

He paused, not even bothering to hold back his sharkish grin. "But…before I go…"

In an instant he vanished. The Zoras gasped and looked around the room for him. Then he reappeared next to the Black Corps standing with the bucket. He extended his hand and the obedient little sod placed the guppy in his palm. He curled his fingers over the thing so it wouldn't writhe out of his hold.

"Since I am in a generous mood, and since there is no cure, I shall be merciful." With that Reth raised both his hands, one supporting Frayne's head, the other with the guppy and shot the latter down.

Glorious cries of despair rang out around him as the guppy was smashed onto the floor.

* * *

><p>Zelda scrutinized herself in the mirror, eyes flitting over each and every curve and all the scars that had accumulated on her travels. She wore nothing but her undergarments, leaving her shoulders, arms, midriff and legs, bare to her analysis. She'd changed drastically in the past few days, she noted. Her body was beginning to fill out, and her hair had regained its luster when before it had been dull and limp. Her face, once gaunt, was now rounded, the curve of her cheeks no longer sallow. These slight transitions courtesy of the Great Fairy, no doubt.<p>

She gazed down at her hands and frowned as she flexed them. Pink lines crisscrossed the areas where they'd been broken. The Great Fairy had informed her that these were scars that would not disappear. Zelda tried not to be bothered by that thought. What did it matter as long as they were able to function properly?

She was steadily healing yet still there remained something hollow in her eyes. Beneath her happy demeanor there was an air about her that was solemn. She was only grateful that Link hadn't noticed. After all the lengths he had gone through to find her again, knowing that she was troubled would greatly upset him.

It was not just her memories, although that did contribute greatly to her suffering, no matter that Link now held her whenever she delved into the tormented portions of her mind, his presence helping to alleviate some the pain. But for the past few nights she'd been assaulted by persistent nightmares. Each time she was left waking in cold sweat, however she never remembered exactly what they consisted of. The moment consciousness reclaimed her all memory of her nightmares was forgotten, leaving her trembling under the sheets until morning. It had been difficult hiding it from Link, as with many of his existences he'd taught himself to become a light sleeper, but she managed, mostly because she did not toss and turn or cry out as was the normal tendency. Although she suspected that Impa and Laval were catching on.

She sighed and pressed a palm to her forehead. Would she forever be beset by this agony? Her mind was her greatest asset yet here it had turned on her. There was simply no freedom to be had…

A knock sounded at the door, followed by a voice, deep and smooth. "Zelda? May I come in?"

Zelda felt her heart fill with passion at the sound of Link's voice. She fiddled with her hair and answered him coyly, "You may."

The door opened soundlessly and light footsteps entered the room. Link closed the door and she heard him stride over to stand on the other side of the changing screen.

Worries momentarily allayed, Zelda turned to glean herself in the mirror once more, smiling softly. "I don't know why you bother to knock. You've been staying here for the past few nights, I'm certain that entitles you to enter and leave at will."

She gathered up the dress she intended to wear that night and slipped it over her head, smoothing it free of wrinkles as she tugged it down.

"Courtesy," he replied.

Zelda resisted the urge to shake her head. She reached behind her to locate the fastenings of the dress but found herself having difficulties. She groaned. She knew there was a reason why Zellandus had sent a maid to assist her, and she'd thoughtlessly ordered her away, not wanting to be disturbed. Abruptly a thought occurred to her.

Holding the front of the dress in place she called over to him, "Then be courteous and help me do up this blasted gown." She waited to see how he'd react. After a short span of silence Link came around to her side of the screen, his gaze sweeping over her.

Zelda had to turn her head away before a pink flush could rise up on her face, and hastily gave him her back. Mentally she berated herself. This was absurd; there was no rational reason for her sudden timidity. But then why did she feel so nervous?

They'd been wed several lifetimes, had been intimate more times than she could count, not even a week ago he'd seen her naked and they've recently been sleeping together in the same bed. However ever since they'd agreed to start over everything somehow felt fresh. Each experience had become new to them. This was not simply treading cautiously. It was a different level of tenderness undefined by anything they'd gone through previously. Was this what courtship entailed?

His hand gently caressed her shoulder before gathering her hair and sweeping it aside. She grasped the silky strands and held it out of the way for him as he drifted his hands down her back and started on the ties just below the curve of her waist.

It didn't take Link long to finish, the back of her dress dipped far down, but each slight touch, every soft tug as he tightened the strings, kept her heart rate up to a rapid pounding.

She bit her bottom lip as he placed his hands on her arms, rubbing his thumbs over her soothingly. He sighed in her ear, "I don't understand why Zellandus had to arrange this bloody ball. It seems all I do when at the castle is attend parties."

Zelda shrugged and gazed at him thoughtfully through the mirror, his deep blue irises trained on her flaxen head. "It will get rid of the nobility," she affirmed, watching his expression morph to one of disconcertion.

He flashed his eyes up to their reflections to connect with hers, steely and filled with something akin to uncertainty. "I don't know. I just…have a bad feeling about it." That he was so unnerved made her wary. Link was not one for paranoia, but whatever it was that was bothering him seemed to shine right through.

Zelda well understood him. It was the agonizing suspense of knowing that danger is coming but not knowing when or where it will appear. They couldn't even strike first because they didn't know where the enemy was hiding, and she'd searched nearly everywhere.

He blinked then shook his head, smiling reassuringly at her. "It's nothing. Besides, you're the one who's supposed to be having visions."

"Not in all our lives," she iterated blandly. That particular skillset would have been a Goddess send about now. Instead she'd had to rely on Apple to glean any information about the future. It was a pity however that the witch could only foresee events that were about to occur. Her sight revealed nothing of the distant future.

Seeking to remedy the dour mood that had possessed them, Zelda gazed at him teasingly. "This isn't just some excuse to not go to the ball, is it?"

A low hiss met her ears as Link t'ched in affront. "Goddesses no. Whether I want to or not, I still intend on going."

"Good," Zelda nodded assertively, brushing his hands off and gliding over to the vanity. She sat down and began combing her hair before twisting it above her head. "Now I don't have to find someone else to be my escort."

How astonished her younger ignorant self would have been upon seeing her pinning up her own hair. She hadn't possessed one ounce of self-reliance at all, depending on maids and servants to do all the trivial tasks that she'd been above doing. However, after living a good number of lives and roaming incessantly for the past two years, one tended to pick up on menial things like self-maintenance.

When she didn't hear a response from Link she sent him a gaze of inquiry, once again catching his stormy eyes in the mirror.

"Would you have?" he asked suddenly, walking over to stand behind her. "Found another escort?"

She dropped the strand she'd been trying to pin up and twisted around to glare at him. "Zellandus has arranged the ball partly for me, you recall. I would think it highly rude to not attend."

He frowned, gnashing his teeth. "I didn't ask if you'd be attending. I asked if you would have found someone else to go with."

At that Zelda raised both eyebrows. "You'd rather I go alone than choose another?" Was this his jealous side peeping out? The very prospect of that gave her inordinate pleasure.

"No," he snapped, gripping the backrest of her chaise. "Because I would have gone with you."

"Then this conversation has been made moot," she replied as she returned to gathering up her hair. "If you were to come with me either way then we wouldn't have the added factor of another escort."

She struggled for a moment with the task of holding her hair up and keeping it in place while sticking a black pin in the mesh. The pin was abruptly snatched away as Link brushed her hand aside to take over.

"Here, let me do that," he muttered broodingly, sticking it in, being careful not to scrape it too harshly against her scalp. "It's frustrating to watch you."

Zelda tensed when she again felt his hands on her. "Thank you, Link," she said quietly before giving a slight smile, "although you put it in the wrong spot." She withdrew the pin and the strands it had been supporting came tumbling down.

Link gave an exaggerated eye roll. "Since when have you been so stringent about your hair?"

She shrugged and gazed softly at him. "Since forever. Here, if you wish to help, you can hold it in place while I pin it up."

For the next little while Link assisted her as she worked her hair into a fancy arrangement. In the end she applied a light coating of makeup over her eyes and some rouge on her lips. Determining that she was finished, she stood and turned to face him.

"How do I look?" she asked, hyper aware of Link's eyes roving over her, deep and penetrating as they caressed every dip and curve. Her gown hugged her tightly, a sapphire blue with intricate silver designs running up the skirt that glistened when they caught the light. It had been an appealing choice.

He grinned and grasped her hand to tug her into him. "Exquisite," he breathed, lowering his face to hers as she shivered against his chest, so warm beneath her hands. He whispered in her ear, "I'm going to kiss you now…"

Zelda inhaled sharply. "The lipstick hasn't set in yet. You'll get it all over you."

"Don't care," he replied before capturing her lips and releasing the tension in the room that had unknowingly been there since his arrival.

Zelda closed her eyes against the assault and savored his passionate caresses. He pressed her into him, one hand abiding over the exposed skin of her upper back, the other clenched around her waist, fastening her tight against him.

Zelda's chest was heaving by the time he pulled away and he langorously soothed his calloused fingers over her sides. She absently plucked a kerchief from her vanity and set to wiping away the red lipstick that had stained itself on his lips.

"What's this?" he asked suddenly.

His question confused her until she became aware of the location of his hand, fingers dipped beneath the material of her dress by her left flank. She lowered the kerchief and fell silent, her eyes averted, staring at his chest.

"This scar," he continued, frowning, his fingers massaging the area lightly, "feels almost like a burn mark."

"That's because it is," she replied, gathering a heavy intake of breath. "A lizalfos from Holodrum…"

His fingers continued to soothe over the area. "Is it still tender?"

She offered a small shrug. "A bit."

Withdrawing his hand he gently cupped her neck, fiddling with the few locks that had been left to dangle. "I almost forgot, you're the adventurer in this lifetime. I hadn't once left my hometown before I received my memories."

Zelda peered up at him to see him frowning, eyes distant and unfocused before they alighted on her. "You should have waited for me. I don't like the thought of you wandering alone."

Anger flashed through her, filling her with indignation. "It is as we agreed, strike as soon as possible," she sibilated, "I didn't know where you were, how old you were, or how long it would take you to come to me. Waiting was not an option. I couldn't just do nothing. We both know the risks of idleness. And…"

And…

The pressure of his arms around her increased, fingers digging into her flesh. "Yes?"

There was a short pause before she wearily resumed, "And I wasn't sure you would be coming for me…"

Silence fell before Link cupped her chin and tilted her head toward him. "Listen, Zelda," he spoke softly, with tenderness that she would have never before imagined he was capable of. "I will _always_ come for you."

She gazed at him forlornly and shook her head. "I had no way of knowing that?"

She'd had little reason to believe that. At the time she'd thought he still hated her. And also… she hadn't wanted to wait for him. She'd never wanted to see him again, but her traitorous heart had spoke otherwise. And so she'd secretly checked in on him and treasured every glimpse of him she could manage, all the while under the false impression that he was blissfully unaware of her existence. What a fool she had been. It was obvious that the power of the Goddesses would cancel out her own spell. She should have anticipated it.

He drew her close in silent apology, offering her comfort as he'd been unable to do while they'd been estranged, and Zelda leaned into him, squeezing her eyes shut before resignedly pulling away.

"The ball has already started," she said in explanation, "Zellandus is probably waiting for us."

Link nodded stiffly and fixed the collar of his formal attire before offering his arm for Zelda to take. She reached for it then paused suddenly, causing Link to glance at her inquisitively.

"What is it?"

Zelda pulled away and went for the drawer of her bureau, rummaging through the various accessories hidden within. "I forgot something…ah, here they are."

She unearthed a pair of silk gloves, which she then tugged on, pulling them up to her elbows. "How many gentlemen do you think would want to dance with me if they saw these," she flashed one of her scarred hands before covering it up with the glove. It was also necessary to conceal the Triforce mark on her right hand.

She tensed, stunned when Link quickly snagged her wrist and entwined his fingers with her own, giving her hand a soft squeeze.

"All of them," he replied straight out, and the way he said it, so assured and confident, as if he knew for certain the minds of other men, made her whole body tingle with warmth.

It meant so much coming from him, even though she doubted his proclamation. Most men at court these days were as dainty as the ladies and swooned at anything considered unsightly. There had been a time once when they'd all been required to join the military services as knights and high-ranking officers. Now it was only compulsory for each noble family to have one or two members to enter. It wouldn't have been so bad if the ones who did not join the military hadn't become more pompous, fashion obsessive, and resistant to any sort of manual labor. Fencing and archery were seen as mere sport now, instead of training to defend their country when needed.

She allowed Link to lead her from her suite and down to the ballroom, the sound of her heels clacking faintly on the marble floors the only noise to be heard.

Music filled her ears when they arrived. A beautiful piece played by the orchestra hired for the occasion. They entered through the grand doors at the top of the stairs and Zelda breathed out slowly, opening her eyes to the sight before her.

The ballroom had been decorated spectacularly, lord Kincaid had done a fine job organizing everything. Dazzling white floating lights bobbed above heads in a snowy display, the floor gleamed from the illumination of eight giant chandeliers. Nobles had congregated in groups about the room, and many had moved onto the dance floor.

The last time Zelda had been privileged with such a sight had been over two years ago, on the day of her birthday. Only back then the party had been held at noon. Presently it was late afternoon, yet with winter's shortened days the sun had already set and the tall windows lining the walls revealed only darkness beyond.

She glided into the room on Link's arm and paused as they were announced before striding down the curved stairway to join the others, her court in its entirety.

A low hum sounded beside her and she glanced up inquisitively at Link.

He gave her a poignant stare. "Zelda Midraga?"

Did everyone have something against that name? It had been her easiest choice. She jutted her head loftily in the air. "It is a fine name."

"Your former suitor's name," he inserted tersely, firming his grip on her arm while staring straight ahead.

Zelda was undaunted. "We had a fleeting romance as youths four lifetimes ago. And if you recall I refused him in favor of you." The meaning in that sentence went unuttered, but from the darkening of Link's eyes it had been clearly conveyed. _More than you did for me._

Link frowned, figure tensing beside her. Zelda at once felt contrite and tried to ease the situation.

"Link," she said, reaching up to cup his cheek with her gloved hand and gently urging him to look at her. He refused at first but then fell to her demands and his startling blue orbs connected with hers. She smiled serenely. "It is only a name." There was added meaning in that too and thankfully Link seemed to understand for his features relaxed considerably.

She was no longer angry with him for snubbing her in their last life. She would not hold his actions against him. Life for them was miserable when bearing grudges.

He took her hand and kissed it before clasping it firmly. "Dance with me, Zelda?"

The opening notes for a waltz played out and Zelda found an intermittent need to be there on the floor twirling in his arms.

She smiled in answer and he led her to the center of the room, the area having been sanctioned off for this purpose alone. They took their positions alongside the other nobles and Link began to lead her in small circles around the room, matching his steps perfectly with hers.

"Still as proficient a dancer as ever," she commented, as he spun her.

Link offered her a winning grin. "I've had eight lifetimes to master it."

"You didn't require a tutor this time?" Normally he'd remember the steps but still needed that extra boost to get it flowing. It was similar to being adept at an instrument then not playing it for a few years before trying it again. At first one fumbled but then quickly they recalled how to play.

Link's face took on a disparaging expression. "Zellandus made certain that I wouldn't embarrass myself so arranged private sessions for me for about a week before it set in."

"Are you up to par with everything else?" she asked, curious.

"Essentially," he imparted, hitching his shoulder in a shrug before casting her a sly smile. "Zelda if you're worried about my fighting skills then know that I've finally caught up to my past selves."

She hastily shook her head, afraid that he'd taken offence. "I wasn't worried. Perhaps…a tad concerned…"

He grinned reassuringly. "We can duel if you want to see if I meet your expectations."

It was simple, if they dueled and she won then he still had more training to go before he matched the level he'd been at all those times before when he'd gone to face Ganondorf. After two years there was little doubt that she'd regained all the skills that had once been ingrained in her, but it had only been around half a year for Link. If he won, however, then, depending on how easy his victory, determined how much he needed to improve before he became near undefeatable.

They danced two more songs together before propriety dictated that they give the other partners who were waiting on them a turn. It was enlightening and strange for Zelda to be around so many men she'd befriended in her youth when they no longer knew her. They spoke as they swept her across the floor, probing subtly into her personal life and background.

Zelda could tell instantly which ones were being pushed by family members to discover more about her, and which ones were genuinely interested. And then there were those who solely sought political gain. By now there was no refuting that she was indeed close to the prince and meant something more to him than just a mere acquaintance. It was rather amusing actually, watching their efforts to try and figure her out, due mostly to her vast experience. Many of the men she spoke with thought her of the lesser nobility or possibly part of the gentry and therefore assumed she had little to no skill in court politics.

Naturally she saw through them all quite easily and was able to thwart or stump them in turn. It was a game she'd been adept at playing even without her memories. With over eight lifetimes of them she was far beyond a veteran.

Her current partner obviously underestimated her a great deal as his prying was as subtle as cat pretending to be a mouse. He smiled fetchingly at her, like they all did, and made small talk to begin with before he reached the topic of interest.

"Have you been to the temple yet? I encourage you to see it. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Castle Town," he gushed while skimming them close to the edge of the dance floor.

Lord Ethan Trevillian, twenty nine year old and far past an age that appealed to her if his interests stemmed into romanticism. Fortunately that didn't appear to be the case, although it was evident he was trying to overwhelm her with his charm. His voice was low and husky and he held her far too close. She might have played along back before her memories had returned to her, just for amusement, however she was wiser now and instead sought to control the discussion and turn it on him.

She raised her brows in faux interest. "Really? Tourist attraction? And here I thought it was meant to be a place of worship."

His smile wilted suddenly before he enforced it, smiling superciliously. "That would be why they flock to it. Who would not give their own arm to be able to worship at the very place where the Goddesses had left for the heavens?"

A common misconception, but she'd let that slide for now. It was apparent that he was lagging in his history education. It also appeared that she was making him quite uncomfortable. That thought made her smile.

"Yes, I have been there. Not too long ago actually," she replied as he twirled her.

"And did anything interesting happen?" Ethan went on, decidedly curious.

Zelda feigned ignorance. It was painfully apparent what he was striving for. He wanted to confirm the rumours that she was Hyrule's heir. It was little wonder what he'd do with that information. This one was simpering for political gain.

"Nothing of consequence," she said nonchalantly. She hadn't known him too well previously as princess so she could not tell if he was a decent sort or not. From what she'd glimpsed of him so far, she felt that he was ambitious, in the harmless sense.

He peered down at her imperiously. "No? Sometimes it is said that the Goddesses speak to those who are destined," he divulged, his patience waning.

She offered him a wry smile. "That _is_ interesting. Has it happened to you?"

He scoffed and tossed his head. "I'm clearly not destined. The Goddesses don't deign to speak to those who are not their favored."

Abruptly her amusement faded, replaced by something chill that settled in her chest. Favored... It was said that the possessors of the pieces of the Triforce were among those favored, but then why had the Goddesses never spoken to her or Link? Were they upset with them? Had the Goddesses withdrawn their favor?

The song ended and Ethan dipped into a short bow while she curtsied.

"Thank you for the dance," he said, eloquently placing a chaste kiss to the back of her hand.

"A pleasure," she responded falsely.

He smiled tersely and bowed again then swept off, his eyes lingering on her figure as he kept looking back. Zelda swivelled away and searched over the heads of the many guests in attempt to find Link or her brother. She easily spotted Zellandus' overbearing form leading Amy onto the floor as the next dance started. Link stood at the far end of the room, immersed in what appeared to be a deep discussion with Byron and ultimately snubbing everyone who attempted to approach him.

Zelda started over to him before she gave a slight jerk as her wrist was caught. Lord James Farlow smiled charmingly at her, grasping her hand loosely in his. "A dance, my lady?"

Resigned, she allowed him to carry her along with the minuet.

They remained silent for a while before he spoke. "They're curious, you know."

_That is a given_, she thought. A single sweep of her surroundings revealed a number of nobles staring in her direction, either outright or covertly. It didn't bother her, she was used to being the center of attention, but she'd never quite been studied this closely.

"Of course, you did appear out of nowhere, and you don't have any notable connections other than the prince, which is highly interesting in itself, so there is plenty to be curious about," he carried on, lifting his arm for her to spin beneath. His hands settled at her waist as they came together again.

"Quite," replied Zelda, studying him. She'd need to probe a bit deeper to discover this one's intentions. "And you believe that I shall sate your curiosity?" she asked cynically, staring up at him through thick lashes.

"Oh, I'm not curious," James input, then corrected himself, smiling bashfully. "Well, perhaps a tad." He held her gaze, red fringe sweeping over his eyes as he dipped his head. "I only saw a beautiful woman, a spirited swordmaster, and wished to get to know her."

She blinked at him momentarily then gathered herself. "I see... I fear I must disappoint you, however. I'm already spoken for."

James snorted with contempt. "Yes, by that bodyguard, Link, I presume."

Zelda darted her gaze over to where she'd seen Link last only to find him staring straight at them, drinking a flute of champagne while Byron went on chattering beside him. She might have been mistaken, but for a second she swore his eyes flashed red.

"I see the way you cling to each other," James went on, drawing her gaze back to connect with his startling grey irises. He gave her a small smirk. "But then gain through anything but competition is no gain at all. I hope to provide as much of a challenge to Link as he poses to me."

She wanted to tell him that he was wrong, that there was no competition because she would choose no other, but she knew a man like him would not listen. He wouldn't believe her until she had a golden band on her finger to cement the claim.

It was humorous, however. As princess it had been Wist who had been her suitor while James, as a good friend, respectfully kept away. Now, though, it seemed to be in opposite.

The song came to an end and just like all the other men she'd danced with so far, he kissed her hand, lips lingering longer than was appropriate. "Adieu," he said in parting.

Zelda tore away to look for Link before anyone else approached her. She looked to where she'd seen him standing moments ago, only he wasn't there. Briefly she twirled around, searching for him through the dense crowd.

A hand landed on her arm and her lips thinned. She was about to deliver a cold rebuff before she turned and came face to face with a dashing smile on a handsome visage.

"Link!" she gushed and took his proffered arm.

He leaned in close to be better heard over the din. "Let's go somewhere quieter. It's stifling in here."

With that they weaved through the throng and embarked down one of the many corridors leading off the ballroom. A few men and women loitered out in the halls, either for respite or to better converse without the added background noise.

Zelda caught the eyes of the Labrynnian ambassador, Ira, who was sipping her wine idly, accompanied by her two advisors and a few Hyruleans striving to improve relations. Ira narrowed her eyes when Zelda gifted her with a cordial grin, before snapping her head away.

She hadn't gotten on well with the woman in her younger years either. She'd always thought the ambassador too severe, a stuck up old hag, despite the lack of grey in her hair. However, even then she could tell how devoted she was to her country and it's wellbeing. It hadn't stopped her sharp remarks though.

Link brought them far from the festivities to the music room, almost all the way on the other side of the castle. They entered and he bolted the door shut.

"Assailed by women left and right with no end," he spoke, voice deepening as he groaned. "You'd think that after so many months they'd become bored of me." His eyes snapped wide when he realized his topic of complaint and to whom he was complaining to. "I-er… That is…"

Zelda laughed lightly and went to sit down on the piano bench, smoothing over the deep blue fabric of her dress. "They would be fools not to acknowledge how handsome you are. Who am I to begrudge them?"

"I'm not interested in other women, Zelda," he said stiffly, striding over to her.

She conceded a nod. "I know. Just as I am not interested in other men," she responded before he could bring it up and make an issue of it. "You managed to thwart them at least for a few moments by hanging around Byron. What were you speaking with him about?"

The atmosphere in the room abruptly changed, darkened, as Link's brows furrowed sharply. Zelda at once sat up straight and alert. What had induced this?

Link lifted his head and cast her a stony glance, blonde fringe fluttering with the motion. "Byron's worried. He's been in correspondence with the Queen Zora ever since he arrived here, but lately he hasn't received any word from Zora Domain."

Zelda adopted his frown, pondering over the conundrum. "That is worrisome." Helerra could be flighty at times, but from her small interactions with the queen as of recent she determined her to be a responsible ruler. Zelda didn't think this was merely a case of absentmindedness. "Do you think…?"

Link's frown remained as he paced. "I've no doubt. The other races are always subdued first before the enemy strikes at Hyrule's heart. We should have made precautions."

"We didn't know he'd act like Ganondorf," she assuaged him. "We thought he meant to attack us directly."

Link abruptly stopped and glared out the window. "And now he's cut off Hyrule's limbs. If anything's happened to them-"

"It will be no one's fault," she interrupted before he could finish. She stood and approached him, resting her hand gently on his arm. She spoke quietly, "I fear if Xerthos has gone after the Zoras then he's most likely attacked the Gorons as well. Those that reside in Death Mountain keep to themselves, our relations with them are strained in this era."

"For all but you," Link inserted with cool amusement.

She nodded. "For all but me. Nevertheless, they don't use hawk messengers, we won't know of anything that's been happening inside their domain unless I visited directly, and I'm needed here."

"Have you spoken with Zellandus at all tonight?"

Zelda glanced up at him and shook her head, no. She'd seen him briefly from across the room, but other than that short moment she'd spotted him with Amy she'd seen nothing of him, or rather, she hadn't been able to, beset as she was with so much attention.

"He's had to deploy the Anathema to the western border to stave off an uprising of beasts," said Link somberly. "We think that Xerthos might attack from there."

"But that's close to Labrynna," she exclaimed.

"Thus the tense atmosphere at present."

"I've checked there numerous times," she lamented. "How does he move his armies around so quickly?"

"Teleportation is my first guess, but that would take an inordinate amount of power," said Link, rubbing his brows. "Something he is now in possession of."

"But not for the past two years." It would forever bemuse her how he'd done it. How did Xerthos and the Augurer keep their hordes hidden for so long? She knew that they were building an army, there was no doubt in her mind that it existed; she'd seen the signs and remnants of camps. But where was it kept? Where were they hiding?

"There's no use contemplating about it for tonight at least," said Link, and Zelda could practically hear the frustration in his voice, how it was pitched with and undertone of fury. He set that all aside though, in favor of her.

"Let's get back," he intoned lightly. "We haven't danced nearly enough with each other."

Zelda smiled and gratefully followed him out of the room to return to the ball. When was the next chance they'd be given a light-hearted moment like this? The future was all too uncertain. It was impossible to determine if any of them would be here within the next week. For all they knew the castle could be taken over by Xerthos' overwhelming darkness by then.

They entered the ballroom at a quintessential moment right as the orchestra started up another song. This little melodious arrangement however differed from most. It was more upbeat and focused primarily on wind and string instruments. Many of the couples would be hard pressed to keep up with the song without stumbling.

Link flashed her a beguiling smile, gaze trained with excitement in the direction of the dance floor. "Shall we show them how it's done?"

She could feel her heart pounding within her chest. Her eyes glistened as she replied, "Let's."

She laughed as Link spun her right along between the chattering nobles before they stepped onto the floor, awaiting the flowing tune that was to come. They moved on the first beat, gliding as they twisted and twirled. In that instant everything faded away, nothing existed but for the music and them. Link pulled her to him by the hand and dipped her before spinning her away once again. She delightedly followed all his movements as he guided her, using slight indications and the placement of his hands to deduce what move they were to do next. He brought her whirling into him, her back to his front, one hand gracing her hip, the other enclosed firmly around hers.

Space had been made for them when many of the couples saw the superior extravagance of their form. A good number of them had stopped to watch. From one corner of the room, Zellandus stood among a squabble of needy nobles, leaning against a pillar as he concealed a smirk behind his chalice.

Their breaths came in short pants, they practically flew over the glistening marble floor, so in tune with one another that their steps synched in perfect tandem. It was no different than sparring, both forms of art consisting of flamboyant motion, and both performed best with a partner. Even now as they stared into each others eyes a silent duel waged on, progressing as the rate of the beat escalated and their movements became more complicated.

Zelda spun, arms reaching into the air, guided by Link's hands on her wrist and waist. The music spiked along with her heart rate, reaching a crescendo that filled the room with a passion felt by all.

And then there was a scream.

Something shoved against her and the air left her lungs as she was flung across the floor, shoulder burning as she skidded. A huge crash resounded throughout the room, shards of glass flying in every direction.

Link flung his body atop of hers to bear the brunt of the impact. Zelda ducked her head and covered her face with her forearms, thrusting a protective shield around them. She felt the battering of debris against it die out and lowered her arms, eyes widening in horror.

"Link! You're bleeding!"

Imbedded in his shoulder was a long glass shard. A dark patch spread over the location as blood welled up. He clenched his jaw and hissed before closing a fist around the shard and yanking it out, emitting a groan of pain.

Zelda instantly pressed her hands against the wound to stem the flow, simultaneously taking in their surroundings and the people running about, panicking and screaming. She looked over his shoulder and saw the cause of the mayhem. One of the eight giant chandeliers had come crashing down, the force so strong it had cracked the marble and shattered into pieces, its metal form dented out of shape.

She pulled to her feet and helped Link up, staring at the scene. "The chandelier was brought down."

"Apparently," said Link, wincing as he jarred his shoulder. He clutched it, hissing, and grabbed his sword with his other hand, withdrawing it from the sheath at his waist. "Laval pushed us out of the way in the nick of time."

"But who-" Zelda peered up and cut herself off. Perching on the next chandelier over, two black robed figures stared down at a shadowed form across from them, standing on yet another chandelier.

Her breath caught when she recognized that figure. "Impa!" She hadn't even noticed the Sheikah's departure. For the threat to be so great that Impa had deemed it necessary to take physical form was daunting.

Impa as a physical manifestation possessed no color, it was as if she had been created from the shadows itself. Darkness leaked from her figure, the only piece of light came from her glowing red irises, narrowed in rage at the offenders.

"Assassins," Link spat upon seeing their familiar keaton masked faces.

Zelda firmed herself resolutely, eyes burning with fierce determination. "No. Dasril called them the Black Corps. And they are much more than assassins."

In an instant one of the Black corps leapt to meet Impa head on. Impa drew her dual scimitars and spun them around, thwarting the attempted strike. The other Black Corps dallied on his chandelier, and with a single slice of his blade, tore through the thick metal chains and sent it careening down before leaping off.

"Look out!" someone called.

Zelda positioned herself before Link and flung out her arms, creating a barrier. It was soon supplemented by Zellandus as he rushed in and flung his magic out as well. Together they contained the crash as the chandelier shattered. They were unable to stop its fall, but at least this way they could protect everyone.

She sent her brother a relieved smile. His warding magic had always been superior to hers. Her light magic was mostly aggressive, while his was defensive.

Other battle mages and the few sorcerers present leant their magic to help control the situation. Soldiers packed into the room, surrounding the panicking nobles and escorting them safely out.

Zelda was drawn back to the duel above. Another chandelier was cut down, but this time the resident sorcerers were there to defend against the hazard.

"Impa!" she called out. "Do not kill them! I want them apprehended!"

Two keaton masks lowered their heads in her direction, before they spun around and darted off. Impa swiftly placed herself between them and escape by way of the windows, and they changed directions to swiftly plummet down to the floor, fleeing through one of the passages within the castle.

Link tore after them and Zelda kicked off her heels before following in pursuit. They ran through the halls, dodging guests and soldiers alike. Impa's shadow soared over the ceiling like a thick black dart. The masked men were only feet before them, sifting through the throng like slithering snakes.

As one, Laval's shadow darted from its spot at Link's side and swooped in alongside Impa, both striking, the clawed hands of their beast forms reaching out.

The Black Corps only dodged their attempt, darting with speed unmatched by anyone Zelda had ever seen. It was almost as if they jumped from place to place, briefly teleporting each time. Her thoughts instantly turned to Reth – but no – these two were broad and larger than the Mad Minister. Reth was slim and lithe, far less bulky than these two.

They 'jumped' again as the Sheikah made another grab for them and missed. Zelda's heart stammered. How was it possible? How were they able to evade the Sheikah so easily? What sorcery was this?

They vaulted down a side corridor when all of a sudden there was a keen of metal followed by low gurgling. Link and Zelda rounded the bend to see a tall broad-shouldered man with his sword sticking out from one of the Black Corps, his fist clasping tightly around the other, who he'd apparently knocked unconscious. Having taken them by surprise, the Black Corps hadn't been able to react quickly enough to evade his strike.

He slid his sword out of the first before aiming it at the second, preparing to drive it into the creature.

"Don't do it, Sir Vaughan!" Zelda cried out. The man halted, evidently surprised before he was knocked off his feet by a massive claw, his sword skidding down the hall.

Laval's shadow appeared beneath the remaining Black Corps, his beastly claws flying out and latching around the man's arms, pinning him to the floor.

Zelda swooped down beside him, hand outstretched and pouring her magic over him. "Is he going to vanish?"

_**I don't know**_, answered Laval.

Her brows furrowed as she continued dousing the being in her power. Hopefully she could sustain him with it.

Link clutched his shoulder as he observed her. She noticed his head lifting as he watched the other man rise to his feet, bemusedly gathering up his sword.

"What by all that is holy is going on?" Sir Vaughan uttered, rubbing his bearded jaw where Impa's claw had scraped him. "I was under the impression that these are invaders."

"And they are," replied Link. "Just not the normal sort."

Sir Vaughan looked at him perplexed before veering his eyes to the left as footsteps thundered down the corridor and soon came upon them.

Commander Deb approached with her sword withdrawn. She nudged the dead Black Corps with the toe of her boot, eyes slitting as it paled then dissipated in a burst of smoke. She cocked her head and hummed, regarding the spot languidly.

"So it is true," she murmured, gaze alighting on Link. "Just like all the others."

Link gave her a stiff nod.

Completing her task, Zelda stood and indicated to the prone figure on the floor. "This one still lives. I've managed to secure his body so that he will not wither like the rest, but I do not know how long it will last. I'd like him to be brought to a private ward where I can study him more closely."

Deb snapped her fingers and two soldiers at once came and hefted the masked man beneath the shoulders and legs then carried him out. She turned to the knight, a steely note in her voice, "I hadn't expected you so soon, Sir Vaughan. Your timing is impeccable, as usual."

"Right," he answered, bowing his head. "I hastened over just as you ordered, Commander."

Zelda stared at him, perplexed. What would have compelled Deb to order his return to the castle? Hadn't they agreed to save him and the others for their counter strike? If things ever amounted to it, that is.

"Link," said Deb, swiping a bothersome strand of dark hair from her face, "this is Sir Vaughan Dantales. He is one of the Anathema."

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><p>An hour later things had quieted down. Those who had been injured were packed in the healing ward, attended to by the castle doctors and supplied numerous red potions. Link had gulped his down in one swig, wincing at the taste before sighing as his skin knit together, erasing the tension in his body and all signs of pain.<p>

He smiled at her from his perch atop the counter in the private ward Zelda had appropriated where their acquired subject was lying comatose on the table. She hadn't yet taken off his mask, too concerned over Link's injury to be ready to deal with it, and she was waiting for Brula to arrive.

Sir Vaughan stood off to the side speaking lowly with Commander Deb. Zelda would have like to have the room to herself during the operation, but the Commander would not hear of it. She wanted to know just as much as any of them what these things actually were.

Link had the same question in mind for he spoke softly to her, "What are these Black Corps do you know?"

She flitted her frigid gaze over to the masked figure. Covered with her magic, she would sense if it was waning, whereupon the man would either wake or burst into smoke like his companion, like monsters. It was curious. She hadn't expected the lashing her magic took when she'd attempted to infuse it within the body, only to be rejected by a darker, deeper source that reminded her of the blackest of nights. So she'd merely placed her power over it, covering the body so it wouldn't have to interact with the foul miasma emanating from the man. Frowning, she wondered if it would be too dangerous to study the Black Corps further. Its power might spurn her again with more aggressive consequences.

She furrowed her brows and pondered. "Dasril told me that they were created by the woman named Vivienne. He didn't know how she did it, only that they'd once been ordinary men who succumbed to her seduction and as a result became easy prey for her influence until they'd lost all willpower of their own."

"Sickening," Link spat, face marred with utmost disgust.

Zelda couldn't agree more. They'd been turned into mindless slaves, existing only by the whims of their mistress. It was a poor fate indeed. But perhaps she could reverse it? That, along with simply studying the type of magic used, was one of the reasons she wanted him alive.

She'd sent for both Dasril and Brula to give support and provide back up should anything go wrong. She'd also consulted Impa and Laval about it, however they'd never heard of such a power. Not even the Sheikah had been that cruel to possess a person so utterly.

Link hopped down off the counter and gathered a roll of bandages from the cupboard. Diligently he began winding the man's limbs to the table, strapping him firmly.

"That's not necessary, Link," said Zelda. Her magic would alert her if he were about to wake up. However Link just shook his head.

"I'd feel better in any case if he were somehow restrained."

She allotted him that and watched as he finished up his task.

Loud footsteps barreled down the hall and soon the door was thrust open, admitting Zellandus, pale and breathless. His gaze fixed on the Black Corps before taking in everyone else in the room. He paused at the sight of Vaughan, a snarl mounting on his visage.

"You! What are you doing here? Why are you not with your patrol?"

Vaughan shifted, about to answer before a voice resounded from behind the door.

"Because I called him here," said Brula, hobbling in, leaning heavily on her cane.

The knight nodded in gratefulness. "Thank you, lady Brula. I was just about to explain."

"Explain what?" spat Zellandus.

When in times of peace the Anathema roamed around in pairs or sometimes accompanied by a regiment of soldiers, patrolling Hyrule and vanquishing any beast or threat they came upon. They were often deployed to areas with the highest concentration of monsters. However when in war they'd be called to lead the armies as Grand Knights. In the battle against Bryant a few years ago they had ridden out with her as her guard, protecting her while simultaneously slaughtering their enemies.

"I'm surprised you were not informed," said Sir Vaughan, his expression suddenly becoming austere. "A few days ago my companions and I were ambushed, the Augurer himself set upon us with his numerous beasts."

Zelda's ears perked up. Her eyes caught Link's stare, hardened by severity.

Link balled his hands and gnashed his teeth in ire. "Where was this?"

Vaughan glanced at Deb, who nodded at him to go on. "A few leagues west of Daneth."

Zellandus scowled. "Labrynnian territory again."

"Don't go jumping to conclusions, your highness," retorted Brula, her manner stern.

"What happened to the others?" asked Zelda, concerned. Any encounter with the Augurer was never a light altercation.

The knight's eyes watered and he swiftly shut them, pivoting away to face the window. "Killed. Murdered, ripped apart by that vile… My younger brother… I could not save him."

The room became silent then Zellandus muttered, "I'm sorry for you loss."

Link, however, had a cold gleam in his eyes, as if probing for something deeper. "You don't appear as if you'd just undergone a scuffle."

"How heartless, Link!" seethed Brula, her small form quavering in rage. Link merely kept his eyes focused on the Anathema, who shrugged, wiping his sleeve over his face.

"That's what red potions will do to you," Vaughan replied solemnly. "I managed to barely escape with my life. I informed lady Brula of the incident by hawk and she ordered me to return here. Apparently some altercation is about to occur?"

"That I will inform you about later," spoke the old Sheikah, indicating at the body on the table with a gnarled hand. "For now we should deal with this matter." Her vivid red orbs settled on Link and Zelda, piercing and meaningful. "I'm certain of it. They were sent here by lord Xerthos in order to get you both out of the way before the siege."

Zelda's eyes widened as worry filled her being. "Brula, you don't think-"

The old woman shook her head in the negative. "Whether he knows of the legends or not, I cannot say. However, he recognizes the power you both hold, and has determined you great enough to pose a threat. Sir Vaughan will be one of the ones to assist you when you eventually face lord Xerthos and the Augurer."

Vaughan turned to look at them and delivered a short bow. "I'm not entirely certain what is going on, but I'll do my best to assist."

Having the Anathema here in the castle, even if there were only a few, raised her spirits greatly. Sir Vaughan was an adept swordsman, and could conjure water as his elemental attack. He'd be a great asset to them.

"Now then," muttered Brula, coughing into her hand. "Lady Zelda, if you would."

Zelda glanced at her subject, once more, taking in the cold body of the Black Corps, devoid of warmth but still alive. The bandages dug mercilessly into his arms, legs and waist where Link had lashed him to the table, but she decided to forgo berating him in order to concentrate at the task at hand.

Before she could continue, however, someone else arrived at the door and proceeded to knock. Zellandus shoved it open, spitting in irritation, "What is it?" before aiming the most threat-imbued glare he could muster at the poor man.

The man, who stood fighting not to cower under the prince's judgment, was the courier she had sent out to retrieve Dasril.

When she didn't see the ex-minister's telltale looming form behind him a dark feeling began to pit in her stomach.

"Well!" hissed the prince, only to be swatted by Brula as she narrowed a scowl at him.

"Impudent child! Your rudeness is astounding. I thought I taught you better. I will not have you acting like a ruthless moblin." Her eyes then pinned down the courier, who froze under their searing heat. "Was there something you wished to say?"

The courier courageously gathered his nerve and spoke before he clammed up again, "It's lord Dasril, my lady. He's gone."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Personally I think this chapter needs to be filled out a bit more, but meh, it will do for now. Remember, if it's too disturbing just tell me and I'll tone it down. Please don't go flying off the handle though.**

**One last happy moment for the couple before everything starts to go wrong. I feel evil doing this to them, but that's how the story goes.**

**_Guest (mar 10)_: Aw, thanks!**

**_Wolf_: Some of that contrast here too, but not for long. Soon it's going to be mostly just dark stuff.**

**_Twokeyz_: I seem to write creepy well, lol. This chapter might give you a hint about Vrel, but it's not totally right. He appears to be a special case with Vivienne so he gets different treatment. ****I always thought of Zelda as an altruistic ruler. I think most people don't give her enough credit, seriously. I agree, it's a pity real life monarchs aren't the same. Many are just too self-centered.**

**Eh, sorry about Frayne. And you're very philosophical ^^. I'm glad you see the deeper meaning behind some of this stuff. I write theories into my story's as much as morality. Both I think are very important.**

**You get a glimpse of the Anathema here ^^, more to come in the next chapter. Andreas will be making his appearance then.**

**Thank you for reviewing!**

**_Avalon_: Your comment is very inspiring! Thank you.**

**_lmnop_: Thank you!**

**_PrincessPeach_: Good to hear from you again. Thank you for the review!**


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: ****I apologize in advance for creating even more OCs :P I'm a bad person for doing that, but the more important ones (mainly the ones with their own point of view) are necessary to tie everything together by the end. **

**So I got my first flame and er… just some person who was upset that I didn't give them anything to wank to? (I assume that's what they mean when they complain about the M-rating. Correct me if I'm wrong though ^^) Okayyyyy. It's rather disappointing that they weren't more thorough and read through the rest of the fic, otherwise they would have known that it is rated M for violence, not sex (I shall now add that in the summary). And I certainly hope infanticide is considered M-rated. If not then some people need to review their morals.**

**Looked at the rating guide just to be sure. **

_**M-rating: 'Not suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 with non-explicit suggestive adult themes, references to some violence, or coarse language.'**_

**References to some violence…? Needs to be reworded methinks. This is pretty light stuff in my opinion. I believe the admins meant explicit violence, lol. But yes, essentially violence is still included in the m-rating.**

**One last thing! Thanks to the wonderful ThisIsANiceName we now have some DI fanart to look at and admire! Visit their deviantart account through my profile if you want to see their artwork!**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 33<span>**

Andreas slid off his stead and poured water from his canteen into a pail for his horse to drink from. The water sources in the area were few and far between and he didn't particularly trust them.

He gave the gelding enough to take his edge of his thirst and then led him by the reigns down a rocky incline. He was only a few leagues away from where he was supposed to meet with Dame Bronwyn and Sir Natalis to do some reconnaissance. Honestly, he didn't think that three of the Anathema were required, it had been ages since he'd worked on a team of any sort. But disobeying meant being court marshaled, so even though he didn't like it he still went.

The note had said very specifically where they were to search, but it hadn't mentioned anything about what they may find. That lack of detail worried him. He didn't like it. What was so important that the council had to send him all the way out here?

He checked the position of the sun constantly as he traveled, wiping the sweat from his brow. Everywhere else in Hyrule might be winter, but here so close to the desert, the heat bore down on him like a heavy weight.

It was close to sunset when he located the encampment, set in a knoll that bordered the marshlands. Twenty soldiers roamed the camp, breaking their evening bread and setting up tents. Unlike him, who preferred to travel alone, Bronwyn and Natalis were accompanied by a small contingent of soldiers.

The men and woman tapped their foreheads in respect as he wandered into camp and carried on with their work. It was apparent that they'd just arrived. Good. That meant they hadn't begun without him. He'd be among them when they explored in the morning. If memory served him well, he recalled there being a cavern somewhere due a mile south. They should probably check that first. If it was beasts they were hunting then that was the place to look for them. But again, why the three of them?

He found his fellow knights perched at the edge of a small cliff overlooking a forested area. They didn't even glance at him when he approached. He handed his horse over to one of the soldiers to care for before striding up to them. Both knights peered steadily onward, like a pair of sentinel statues standing guard over their territory.

He followed their gaze and viewed the silent woods before them, hardly a rustle or flutter to be seen among the trees. Curiously he stared harder, trying to spot what had them so transfixed.

"One of the men thought they saw something moving in the woods," said Bronwyn, sensing his unasked question. "We sent two out to scout the area. Don't want anything foul creeping up on us come dark."

He furrowed his brows and neared the edge, gazing down with his sharp gaze. "This passes too close to Holodrum lands for my liking."

"Oh they know the border limits," input Natalis, turning his head to look at him. "They won't intrude. They're merely looking for signs of…anything really. Lizalfos is what we are expecting. There's a tribe that dwells in the marshes, but the letter from the castle made it sound as if the threat is something far greater, so we're not really sure."

"I agree," replied Andreas. "Lizalfos would hardly be enough trouble to require all of us."

A breeze stirred the air, whipping his hair around his face. He blinked and brushed it out of his eyes before noticing the odd silence that had fallen about them. Natalis was usually far more talkative than this.

Uneasily he asked, "What is it?"

Natalis ground his teeth then shook his head. "Not only us. Dame Villegra is supposed to arrive as well. And Sirs Falk and Quincy were supposed to already be here, but we've not seen hide nor hair of them."

He started in surprise. What in the-! "But that would make a fifth of the Anathema! The last time so many of us were congregated together was in the battle against the miscreant Bryant. Unless there's been a sighting of the Augurer-"

"Well we don't know what it is," shot Bronwyn, straightening up, her piercing glare leveled straight at him. It seemed less anger and more frustration that made her so agitated. "Nothing has been said in our orders. And we haven't detected any signs of activity at all in the area. Falk and Quincy never made it, I'm positive. Something must have held them up."

Held them up. That was an eloquent way of putting it. It was preferable to believe they'd been delayed rather than anything else. Falk and Quincy were partners who roamed together and were the formidable pair. If something or someone had been enough to cause a problem for them then it didn't bode well for their group either.

Unwilling to believe that they'd met some sort of trouble, he then asked, "Has there been any communication from them?"

Natalis sighed and looked back down at the forest. "Not a word. But we did receive a hawk earlier this evening from Villegra. She is to arrive by midday tomorrow."

At that moment a boy, no older than fifteen, came up to them. Andreas stared at the youth, irritation churning inside him. The boy faltered a step at the unwelcoming glare then headed straight for Natalis. He passed on a towel and a water flask before hightailing it away.

Natalis took a gulp from his flask and spoke before Andreas could mention anything. "I know what you're going to say, Andreas. Trust me, I've heard it all before."

Andreas said it anyways, his anger compelling him to speak. "The Anathema don't take squires."

Bronwyn snorted and tightened her vambraces. "You've had this conversation before. He knows it, and he's still stubborn about it."

It still bothered him. He remembered Natalis had to petition multiple times to acquire his squire. Apparently the boy was a cut above the average, far exceeding any of his age group and Natalis had argued he'd only benefit under the tutelage of their greatest warriors. Other knights took squires, it was not allowed for the Anathema, yet for some unfathomable reason the commander had granted her permission. Life and duty for them was different than other knights. They lived more perilously, and undertook more dangerous missions. An untrained boy tagging along was liable to get in the way and distract.

"You should have at least left him at the nearest village where he'd be safe," Andreas grumbled.

"I'm not about to abandon my squire," shot Natalis.

The fool. He was far too overconfident in his own abilities. "You shouldn't even have a squire in the first place."

"Say's you who was a squire to an Anathema!" Natalis hissed in retaliation.

All at once the anger faded until it had all but trickled out of his system. Silently he gazed over the land, inhaling the scent of dirt and water as it breezed in from the south.

For a moment he was lost in reminiscence.

At length the other man sighed in regret. "I am sorry. I didn't mean to bring her up."

He merely shook his head, angling a tight smile at the man. "The past cannot be altered. I have long accepted it. Nothing I did would have changed what happened to Dame Ashera."

The knight he'd been squire to had been near legendary in her day. It had been said that if she had lived on she'd have become commander in lieu of Deborah Shira. She and Deb had been partners once before and he'd lived the best years of his life wandering Hyrule by their sides. But then they'd met a challenge that had been too great, and Dame Ashera had been too headstrong to acknowledge it. He'd hate to see the same fate befall Sir Natalis and his squire.

He cast his eyes over at the boy then looked at Natalis. "What is the boy's name?"

Natalis brushed an agitated hand through his disheveled hair and muttered quietly, "Zane."

Andreas nodded and continued, "We are about to go in full blind to a mission that the council deemed requires sixth of us to complete. I understand that you may desire the boy gain experience by tagging along, with so many of us you have more eyes to keep a look out for him, but the danger far exceeds the worth of that risk. They sent _sixth_ of us, the greatest warriors Hyrule has to offer. Can you imagine the danger that awaits us? The danger that you're about to place this boy in?"

Bronwyn remained silently listening as she kept watch over the terrain while Natalis gnashed his teeth and turned his head away. "I hadn't thought of it that way," he murmured.

Andreas couldn't fault him for that. The reason why one was chosen for the Anathema was because of their remarkable skill in not only physical fighting, but magical as well. Each one of them had control over at least one of the elements, other magical abilities aside, and they all were lithe on their feet and could outmatch most all opponents they went up against in a duel. They were great sorcerers as well as knights, not just anyone became so adept at both. That's why there were so few of them. They were so formidable that sometimes it felt as though very little could daunt them. Yet they perished the same as any other soldier. They made similar mistakes to other men. They were powerful but not as invincible as they would like.

"I'll leave him behind when we go scouting tomorrow."

Andreas snapped his head up. "No. There's little point to that now." He crossed his arms and mused. "At this point it would be best to stick together. If whatever this is we're investigating should bypass us and attack the camp then he'll have no protection at all."

Natalis nodded despondently. "I'm sorry. I should have had more foresight."

"No," said Andreas, clasping the other knight on the shoulder. "I apologize for losing my temper. It is not my concern whether or not you have a squire. That Commander Deb approved of it shows that she's confident in your ability to train him and keep him safe."

"Yet I fear that I may regret it some day," murmured Natalis.

It was a hard burden to bear when one was charged with the care of another life, especially one so young. He had to be more reserved with his choices, going for the careful approach instead of being reckless when it came to missions. It would have been wiser for them to remain at the castle, however only two of the Anathema were required to stay there at all times. Deb wanted as many as possible out searching for the Augurer.

He was about to say something more when he was cut off.

"Beautiful. We're all reconciled," said Bronwyn, pulling her hair high into a tail and fastening it with a band. She tightened it then flung it over her shoulder, unsheathing her sword. At the sight of the blade Andreas was instantly put on the alert.

Bronwyn looked at them with her piercing gaze. "The scouts haven't returned. It's been over an hour. They should have let off a flare at least."

"It's nearly dark," input Andreas as Bronwyn walked pass, making her way down the incline. "We should wait for daybreak. We won't be able to see anything."

Bronwyn paused whereupon she closed her eyes for a moment. When they snapped open her pupils showed they had dilated exponentially, encasing the entire orbs in pure black. "Yes we can," she said, then carried on.

"Better hurry up then," said Natalis.

Andreas turned to him only to find that his eyes too had changed, becoming pure black as they converted to night vision. Natalis clapped his arm then scurried after her. "Don't want to be out of range of Bronwyn's ability. Then you'll really be stuck in the dark."

The next instance he found that his sight had suddenly become clearer, the shadows seeming to melt away as his vision took in all his surroundings as if it were daytime. He hastened after them. Bronwyn took a moment to inform the contingent of where they were going and why, and Natalis ordered Zane to stay behind, then they were off.

The trees in these woods were the tallest and thickest he'd ever seen. Their trunks could easily contain an entire townhouse, and their branches were sturdy enough to support a horse if it were able to climb. He didn't want to think what sort of creatures they housed.

As if reading his thoughts, Bronwyn spoke up, "This forest is said to be inhabited by Lizalfos. They drop from the trees and surprise anyone who wanders into their land."

Andreas eyed her skeptically, stomach giving an uneasy lurch at the sight of her darkened eyes. "And you sent a scouting party to wander about it alone?"

"A scouting party who reeked of the scent of dodongo," she added. "These forest lizalfos detest other lizards, and the men were sure to wear dodongo hide leather. They wouldn't have come near them."

"Aye," agreed Natalis as he nimbly climbed over an enormous root protruding from the soil. Andreas couldn't tell for sure with the night vision Bronwyn had cast over him, but he was positive that it was now full dark. They'd been wandering the woods for only a quarter hour.

"But I'd be demmed if that isn't a fresh scorch mark," Natalis finished wryly and they all looked over to inspect it.

Sure enough right there at the base of the tree root the man was perched upon, a dark smudge darkened the trunk in a streak of black, not quite enough to threaten the tree but enough to leave a small burn.

"It's still hot," Bronwyn remarked as she touched the cinders, rubbing it between her fingers. She glanced around and sighed. "Well, I don't see any bodies."

"But the dodongo hides definitely did not work to keep them away," said Andreas growing more anxious by the minute.

Bronwyn furrowed her brow. "No, they did their work. This happened after they passed through here."

Taking in the scene from a broader viewpoint, Andreas was able to note more light burn marks here and there, a few scratches in the dirt and nicks in the side of the tree, but nothing overall aggressive. The lizalfos had probably lazed about before deciding to move on.

"You certain the council wanted us to scour this place?" asked Natalis, nose wrinkling in distaste as it filled with the scent of lichen and mildew.

Andreas nodded, acceding. "Lord Perrington signed the note himself." If there was anyone who knew most about what was going on in the provinces it would be the Minister of Provincial Affairs.

"Let's continue a bit further," said Bronwyn, motioning with her head. "If my scouts came across something they shouldn't have I want to know what it is."

He too was curious now. Without any argument they plowed on. The further in they went the farther apart the trees grew and the moister the ground became. It wasn't long before they had entered the marshlands. Water extended before them, swamping the base of the trees. Lilly pads floated on the surface, and reeds and grass stuck out in thick batches, giving the impression that there was firm soil beneath.

Natalis hopped onto a root jutting above the water and scurried to its end. He bent low and frowned. "Boot tracks. There's a scuff of mud on this root, and it looks to lead further in." He glanced up at the other two knights, features disconcerted. "The marshes mark Holodrum soil. They were ordered to turn back before they breached the borders."

"Unless they found something," remarked Bronwyn, hoping from root to root to where Natalis crouched.

Andreas strode right through the water. It cut off at mid-calf and he felt liquid seeping into his boots but overlooked it. If they were to be attacked by fire breathing lizards he'd rather be a bit damp.

The water sloshed around him with every step, slightly murky but he could still see the bottom. He idly listened to Bronwyn and Natalis conversing as he headed their way before suddenly halting mid-step.

Abruptly he froze. Something didn't feel quite right. He sniffed the air and cast his gaze over the water. His eyes landed on a cluster of vines dangling from the trees and for a moment he thought he saw an eye peering back at him. The eye blinked and he slowly took out his sword.

Natalis and Bronwyn instantly jumped to alertness at the sound of ringing metal, holding aloft their own blades.

"What is it?" asked Natalis, body poised and muscles tensed in readiness.

Andreas watched the staring eye as it began to rise, a head lifting on a long scaled neck, turning toward him and revealing another eye both staring straight at him.

He tensed and took out his shield. Too late to turn back now. "Dragon!" he hissed.

In a flash the beast burst through its coverage, slicing the water in thick sprays as it roared and snapped its jaws.

* * *

><p>Dasril woke to a flash of pain. He groaned and gripped the bed sheets. His head hurt like the devil. Perhaps he had gone too far with the alcohol this time.<p>

Rising to a sitting position, he flung the blankets off of him and stumbled out of bed. He had to brace himself against a wall in order to wait for his nausea to die down. Only when it had fully receded did he open his eyes…

And saw that he was not in his room… Nor anyplace else that he recognized.

He stared around in bemusement before venturing to the window and pulling aside the drapes. His sharp eyes widened in shock. All around him was snow. A flat expanse of land extending as far as he could see. Darting to the other window revealed the same thing in this direction. Wherever he was he was far far from the castle. It looked to be some sort of country home.

Shakily he pressed his palms to his forehead, trying to remember what had brought him here. He'd been in his room drinking from his stash of wine. He hadn't even been savoring the taste. Something had knocked him to the ground and from there it was all a blur. He couldn't recall anything. How foolish it had been to let his guard down. Just because Zelda had gave her verdict didn't mean the other's trusted him to abide by it. He could have been caught unawares by that blasted Link, or the prince himself for all he knew. Knowing about the part he'd played in Zelda's torture was ample motivation for them to try something. Yet wouldn't they have had enough respect to not go against Zelda's wishes? They both loved her, it was inconceivable that they'd blatantly disregard her orders.

Head muddled in confusion he turned at the sound of a slight creak. The door had swung open, its hinges creaking with every movement. It was then he felt the frigid breeze that blustered through the room.

Breathing out hot air, he internally heated his body, sending his flames throughout his core to keep him warm. Cautiously he started from the room, entering a long hallway with a set of stairs at the end. Again he wondered how he had gotten here, and if there was anyone else around as well.

The steps creaked as he embarked down them. He arrived by the front door and pondered venturing out but then decided against it. He had nothing with him but for his clothes and whatever was in his pockets. He'd need energy before stepping one foot out into that howling storm. Hopefully whoever had left him here had not intended for him to rot.

The house was a small one, far less extravagant than the space and luxuries he was accustomed to. For a moment he felt a mite claustrophobic in so encasing an environment. He'd never stayed long in a building where he could touch the ceiling with a stretch of his arm.

He entered what appeared to be a small living space and stopped short. All at once his fire blazed hotter within him, his eyes frantically searched his surroundings for a sword, anything that could be used as a weapon. His heart pounded frantically in his chest as he slowly backed away.

"Calm yourself, Dasril," said Lord Xerthos, standing in front of the fireplace, his form a massive hulking figure. "You'll not be harmed. I merely wish to talk."

Every bodily instinct shouted at him to flee; that this was a trap, the demon meant to lead him into a false sense of security before tearing him apart. Yet despite his impulses he hesitated before striding further into the room. He gulped and stood silently before his once lord.

What could he do? Running was futile and even if Lord Xerthos happened to let him get away he'd not last long out in the freezing cold without sustenance to sustain his energy. He could have cursed Farore for not gifting him with the power of teleportation.

Xerthos slowly turned around and Dasril's eyes snapped wide. He'd changed. Lord Xerthos now sported dark tan skin with black cracks lining his face where his multitude of scars had been. His eyes were purely demonic as their peered at him through red irises, surrounded by grey sclera. He was hardly human anymore.

Xerthos raised his chin, his eyes burning with menace. "You think me repulsive don't you? You who ordinarily holds the vanity of a peacock."

Ordinarily was the word. At the moment his hair lay in greasy strands, his clothing all askew, and he hadn't shaved for days. He made no response at the lord's accusation. More than looks, he had changed in personality as well. Never before would he had goaded him like this. Dasril didn't know what to make of it and couldn't decide how to act.

"I have had you brought to me for a reason, Dasril," said Xerthos, moving toward him. With each stride it seemed as if more blackness encompassed him. "One last chance is all I give you. Your abilities are greatly missed. Join us once again and this act of rebellion will be overlooked. You may even keep your dear princess for yourself, no harm will come to her as long as you serve me."

His ears perked in silent interest. Hadn't that been his goal from the beginning? Follow Lord Xerthos and aid him in conquering Hyrule while keeping Zelda in obscurity as his alone?

"And Reth," he said hoarsely before clearing his throat and continuing, "He'll be kept away from us?"

"If you so desire. He'll not be allowed within the vicinity of either of you." Xerthos made a waving motion with his hand. "The same with Vivienne and anyone else that you wish."

He couldn't do it. Not even with all his tempting promises. Zelda would hate him even more than she did now. He'd have earned her eternal spite and have accomplished nothing. But perhaps in some way he could use this opportunity to his advantage. If he could stay within Xerthos' good graces he'd be privy to all his plans and works. He could lie. He could play the double agent.

His expression took on a look of intrigue as if he were seriously considering the offer. He schooled himself not to fidget under Xerthos' hard gaze, utilizing all those long years of etiquette lessons to exert control over his emotions. "If I say yes, what would you have me do?"

He would not kill for him nor did he wish to aid him in this war. It was ironic that when once he had complained about his inaction for their cause now he desired it. If Xerthos wanted him to join him once again he'd have him as an adviser or an overseer.

"This is where you prove your worth to me," said the lord faintly. "I know you've been in meetings with the prince and commander, I know that you divulged all that you know about me to them. But worry not, I will not hold this against you. I can even sympathize with you. However now you will provide me equal courtesy. Tell me Hyrule's defense plans. I know they are preparing for me. What I want to know is what measures are they taking, where will their forces be positioned, what sort of battle mages do they have and how many?"

If Dasril possessed a tactical mind he'd had fibbed unashamedly about all the details the lord wanted in a heartbeat. It was to his disadvantage that he had no talent when it came to battle stratagems, he was a courtier, his place was in politics not war. Even if he could come up with a passable lie, he'd need time to do it.

It seemed that he was lacking in good fortune. His plan to become the double agent had been squashed almost as soon as he'd come up with it.

Steeling himself he gazed petulantly at the demon lord and clenched his jaw. "I can't tell you that." He cared little for his country, he held practically no attachment to Hyrule. It was all for Zelda. Everything he did was for her. And he'd endure Xerthos' wrath if it meant not betraying her again.

"I see," said Xerhos and rather than raging and flinging out his power in furious indignation he simply turned away, his cloak billowing with the motion. "Love brings out the best and the worst in men, doesn't it. You disappoint me, Dasril. Out of all my followers it is you who I favored most, who I saw greatest potential in, and it is that alone that will spare your life today."

Dasril tensed and fisted his hands, shaking as he listened to his words. He was not something to be favored like a pet. If anything he'd only desired his lord's respect. Well not anymore. He no longer cared. All that mattered was getting out of here and back to Zelda and to… To what? Wander around the castle like a poe as before? Bring her useless information that he'd spoken with Lord Xerthos with no content to describe what his plans were and where he was hiding? Was everything he did to be pointless?

"It doesn't matter," said Xerthos, pulling him out of his musings. "You didn't realize it, did you? It was all a test. I already have the information I require. Hyrule will not stand a chance. It will fall by the hands of its own people."

Dasril was taken aback and he looked at the oppressive lord with wary anxiousness. "What do you mean?"

It was then that Xerthos smiled. Something that he'd rarely if ever done before and it struck fear through him down to his very core, causing his flames to waver.

"You were not really needed, I already have someone on the inside who the prince trusts implicitly," he divulged, and a spike of horror shot within him. Dasril nearly staggered at the ferocity of it. "He's been made aware of all their plans and tactics and he has freely revealed all that information to me. You see, while love makes you weak, it makes him strong. I offered the same deal to him in order to protect his brother and he wisely accepted. It shows just who is the better man."

It wasn't possible. Brula and the commander didn't trust easily, only a few of them had been allowed in on their meetings, everyone else had only been given vague orders. And none of them had a brother. That could only mean that someone else had come, someone that he was not aware of.

"You understand though," continued Xerthos in a monotone voice. "That once they realize at the castle that you're gone and once they see that all their methods of protection have been thwarted, they'll assume another betrayal."

No! This time Dasril did stagger back, overwhelmed by the horror of it all. This was cruel beyond anything Reth could fabricate. Just when he had pledged his allegiance to his princess, only to be labelled a traitor once more, and this time there'd be no forgiveness.

Xerthos' eyes flashed with dark menace. "You'll be blamed for the leak in information. At this very moment my army is on the move to Hyrule Castle."

"They'll see your troops," said Dasril, frantically tearing at anything he could to ruin Xerthos' plot. "You can't mobilize an army of that size without being seen."

"And what can they do about it?" the lord input. "But they will not be detected until the last moment. Obviously you've been unaware of many things concerning our takeover. How do you think Vivienne has managed to constantly relocate the troops about to keep those sniveling Hylians off our heels? Constantly teleporting them all would have worn her out. With the aid of a magical device she did this and stayed at full power the entire time. That is what we'll be using."

Magical device? What magical device? How much had he been left out on?

Blackness creeped in from the corners, surrounding Xerthos, indicating he was about to teleport.

"Enjoy the show, Dasril. Enjoy as Hyrule is immersed in darkness and blood, and know that they'll blame you for all of it."

This couldn't be happening!

His heart was about to burst, everything was going so wrong. He couldn't stand it.

"Wait!" he called urgently, desperately, anything to stall the inevitable. "What happened to the Sheikah? Orretus, the one who was watching over me?"

All at once the darkness vanished and Xerthos became visible once more. Nonchalantly he held out a hand and produced a knife floating point down above his finger. It rotated languidly, the metal swirling with a shimmering blackness that appeared to be in constant motion. He flicked his wrist and the knife landed point down embedded in the lacquered wood of the floor.

Hesitantly, Dasril stooped and pulled it free, holding it aloft before him. He glanced warily at Lord Xerthos fearful of his intent.

"Another masterpiece of Reth's," Xerthos revealed, a hint of amusement behind his words. "It appears DeSange excels at two things, to escape a person's grasp and to capture another in his. The Sheikah are a nuisance to society. They should have been wiped out long ago but with the assistance of the Hylians they persist. Do not fret, he has not been killed. Only sealed within that blade you hold. One by one I shall deal with the Sheikah. Their time has long come, and I shall see to it that they are at last put an end to."

His hands shook and he dropped the knife. It clanged on the ground before stilling. Xerthos' smiled and flung his arms up. In a flash he was gone, leaving Dasril alone in the farmhouse.

Waveringly he bent and picked up the blade. He'd held no warm feelings for Orretus, however he could not help but feel sorrow for the Sheikah. Trapped within a blade, less able to do anything than even he was. Silently he vowed that somehow he'd find a way to free him, before Xerthos could discover how to end the Sheikah indefinitely.

The knife had no sheath so he wrapped it in a cloth he found in one of the drawers and stuck it in his belt. Then he pondered how to escape from this place. As much as he wanted to there was no time to sit around feeling sorry for himself. He had to get to the castle and warn Zelda to abort their plans and escape before Xerthos arrived. He had to tell them that it wasn't him who was giving away all the information. He had to tell them about the spy.

But first, he had to figure out where he was. Was he even in Hyrule?

He burst out of the farmhouse and took five steps in the snow before spinning around and around. All before him lay nothing but white. No sign nor indication as to where he might be. Not a tree or hill in sight. The wind picked up and in furious retaliation he heated his body and steamed the air around him, creating a bald patch in the snow and uncovering the soil beneath. As long as he still had his fire he could persist.

Abruptly an idea came to him and he swiftly searched his clothes and felt profound relief as his fingers came in contact with something small and hard. He was grateful that this was one thing Lord Xerthos had overlooked. He pulled out his hand from his pocket and unearthed his warp stone. The one that would take him back to Foulkes Manor. From there he'd be able to make haste to Hyrule Castle.

Without a second thought he rubbed his thumb over the smooth surface, activating it and disappeared.

* * *

><p>Vaughan followed Lord Perrington down into the bowels of the castle. It was a place he'd never known existed, a catacomb of secret passageways buried within the very foundation of the castle itself. Once long ago they may have been used, but constant reconstruction of the castle after each time the legendary Thief King tore it down had barred many areas off and filled other areas with magical residue.<p>

Mold grew on the stones and with each step the atmosphere became murkier. The air was stale and difficult to breathe. He carried on, however, ignoring all that. He was here for one thing and that was to ensure that Lord Xerthos held up his end of the bargain.

Lord Perrington brought them down another set of stairs, taking each step slowly as he waddled onward, keeping the torch high. The lord had been in hiding for a short while after some argument with Lord Foulkes apparently. Dasril had wanted the fat lord to leave the castle but the things that Xerthos promised kept him from obeying, resulting in him lingering here in the catacombs.

They turned and made their way down a long corridor. At the end was a wooden door. Lord Perrington paused then indicated with his torch.

"Well, there it is. Your brother is safe behind that door, as promised," he said, sniffing as he covered his nose with a smudged kerchief. He looked irritated and not pleased to be here, but there was little some men wouldn't do for power, even if it meant suffering a few discomforts.

"Can I take your word for it that he is unharmed?" said Vaughan.

Lord Perrington scoffed and scowled at him. "Go and check on him if you want. I'm not the one who brought him in, and I don't bleeding care either way. Just hurry up so we can get out of here. Hey-!"

Vaughan snagged Lord Perrington's torch and marched toward the door, yanking it open. The pudgy lord scrambled to keep up with him, cursing and stumbling, not wanting to be left alone in the dark.

Vaughan held the torch aloft and gazed past a set of bars to a figure slumped over in a heap. He quickly withdrew his set of keys and unbarred the door leading into the cell. He knelt next to the figure and held the torch above his face so the glow reflected on him.

A dark bruise adorned his brother's brow from when he'd been knocked out. He'd sustained a few scrapes and one shallow cut on his arm, stretching all the way to his elbow but nothing life threatening. He had been cleaned up and tended to as promised, his low breathing indicating that he was not in any pain. He was safe.

Vaughan rose up and stood over his unconscious brother. He'd never wanted the younger boy to become a knight and had been positively horrified when his sibling had been chosen to become one of the Anathema. This was not the life he'd wanted for his brother. He'd known there was a high chance at getting killed in their profession. Having him stowed away and locked up was the only viable option. Kesley would be furious when he awoke, but at least he'd be safe.

He stared a moment longer at his younger brother then left the cell, barring the door behind him and locking it.

Lord Perrington was still scowling when they departed and made their way back down the corridor.

"And he'll be released once your lord takes over Hyrule?" he asked, taking long strides and making the pudgy lord jog to keep up.

Perrington huffed and stumbled along. "Yes yes. He'll be let go and given that private house by the lake where no one will bother him. Nothing will happen to him as long as he doesn't do anything foolish."

The lord squeaked as Vaughan wheeled on him, backing him into a wall and holding the torch up menacingly. His face had darkened and he bared his teeth.

"You swear!"

Lord Perrington nodded furiously, eyes bulging with fear as sweat dribbled down his face. "My Lord Xerthos has promised. He never goes back on his word."

Assuaged, Vaughan stepped away and carried on, ignoring the lord as he grumbled indignantly about his treatment.

"I am one of Xerthos' high commanders," Lord Perrington gruffed. "I should not have to bow to a lowly soldier."

Indeed, once Xerthos has taken over that was what the Anathema would become. It was worth it. He'd rather become a 'lowly soldier' as the lord put it, than have anything happen to his brother. And he'd seen the might of Xerthos. He'd seen it through the power of his general, the Augurer. Hyrule did not stand a chance. It would take the will of the Goddesses' for them to succeed against this demon.

At least no harm would come to him or his brother. He'd swore ever since their parents died that he'd take care of him, that he'd make sure no harm would ever come to him. His brother's life came before anything, even Hyrule. He would not allow him to throw it away all for the sake of loyalty to the crown. Dynasties rose and dynasties fell. This would simply be the dawn of a new dynasty in which a demon took up the crown and ruled the land. Kesley would see it the same way as him someday. For now he had to prepare for the inevitable tantrum his brother would throw.

It was for the best.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I believe this is my second chapter with no Link or Zelda in it. It's not a long one to be sure. It was only needed to fill in some of the plot. About three more chapters to go until the end of part 2. These next few promise to be more exciting and action packed.**

**Now that I think of it, Lord Xerthos is beginning to sound an awful lot like Lord Voldemort (with less of a temper). It wasn't intended but what can you do ^^'**

**Anyways, hope you enjoyed, and thanks for reading.**


	34. Chapter 34

**A**** few announcements:**

**You should know that this story will not in any way, shape, or form contain scenes of a sexual nature. You want smut, read 'Villainous' (the deviantart version). Otherwise, if you were expecting there'd be lemons at some point in the future, I'm sorry to say, but this was never intended to include sex scenes and it never shall.**

**Also, thanks to the advice given by Cameron . 007, I will be writing up a character chart that will list all the characters who are mentioned so far. I'm sure many of you are having difficulties keeping track of them all (I know I am), so I hope this helps. I'll be listing them alphabetically and will write down which chapters they appear in. I'm not too certain where I'll be posting it, but you'll most likely find it on my tumblr account.**

**Which reminds me: thou shalt follow me on tumblr (link via my profile page) if you want to keep notified on my updates, crappy art done by me, personal life stuff (eg. If I'm sick and dying, tumblr is where you'll hear about it. My sister has access to my account as well, so if that be the case you guys won't be totally uninformed and think I disappeared off the face of the earth or something), and reblog. Lots and lots of reblog. **

**Right. So congrats to NamelessReader31 for being my 700****th**** reviewer (I honestly never thought I'd make it this far ^^). And I'm almost at 300 favs too! And a big thanks to all those who reviewed (been getting too lazy to list everyone :P I'm a crappy person, meep!), faved, followed – everyone who reads this mess of fiction, really - and enjoy chapter 34!**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 34<strong>

Link woke early that morning by the shifting of the bed as Zelda got up and left. Too tired to bother wondering what she was up to, he drifted off, only mildly upset that he'd lost a good source of warmth. An hour later he was roused again as curiosity manifested in him when he realized she hadn't yet returned.

Releasing a drained groan, Link stumbled from the bed and tugged on a piece of fabric of what looked like his tunic - although in the dim lighting and half asleep he wasn't so sure - and a pair of breeches and footwear then ventured out of the room with the intent to go find her.

It had been precisely a week since Zellandus' ball and the capture of the Black Corps. The majority of the nobles had left for home, and many others had been chased away to their country estates by fear. The foreigners had all gone, including the Labrynnian ambassador, Ira, who departed grudgingly after finding out that the attack was Hyrule business and had nothing to do with any of the other nations, and the prince had sent Byron away a few days ago. Byron had become worried for a while about receiving no reply to his latest letter to her majesty. He'd been anxious to return to the domain and had departed post haste.

The castle and town were emptier than they'd been in a long time. Castle Town wasn't allowing anyone entry, all who tried were sent back to their villages with a warning and increasingly people were being encouraged to leave. It was all going precisely as they'd intended. For all intents and purposes he should have been content with their strategy, yet even as he thought it, he realized it couldn't be all that easy.

With Laval's assistance he located Zelda outside on one of the canopied walkways that connected the different sections of the castle together.

She stood before one of the archways, looking out at the parade grounds below. Her cheeks were pink from the morning chill, and her breath came out in small puffs of vapor. The harsh edge of winter was finally ebbing away, the grounds clear of snow in all but the northernmost provinces. They still had some mornings that were frosted, yet it was swiftly chased away by the rising warmth as the influence of spring began to take effect.

Link considered whether or not to disturb her, she looked so peaceful even as her brows scrunched, deep in thought, but then Laval left his shadow and he was certain that streak of black against the wall was Impa leaving as well. He walked up to Zelda and embraced her from behind, wrapping his arms tightly around her. She inclined her head at him and leaned into him, emitting a soft sigh. Her eyelids lowered as she gazed tiredly out through grey-blue irises.

For a while they stood there in silence.

At length, Link spoke, "What's on your mind?"

Zelda hummed and shut her eyes. "Our fate. Punishment by the hands of the Goddesses. It is obvious that the Goddesses were displeased by our rebelliousness last time. It's why they did not help us. They allowed me to die so that both of us would be miserable. We had let our relationship issues get in the way of working efficiently together as we should have." She blinked her eyes open and stared out at the city landscape. "Duty before desire."

It was always like that with her. Her country before personal needs. Why did it have to be that way.

"Duty _and_ desire," said Link, running a hand over her arm. "Who say's they have to be separate?"

"If only," Zelda snorted.

"You don't see the Goddesses enacting their divine retribution at us being together," stated Link plainly.

"I just hope they can forgive us."

He grimaced and snorted. "What for? They haven't shown their faces in Hyrule for eons. Goddesses' chosen," he scoffed, "This is a recurring game that's been going on for hundreds of years, yet they do nothing to help permanently end it."

"Link, don't say such blasphemy," Zelda hissed, gripping his arms tight.

"It's the truth."

"You're being a pessimist," input Zelda, "Besides, we just might not remember a time when they had personally intervened."

"And if the Golden Fairies never deign to show up, we never will," said Link crossly. They had waited, Zelda had even gone to the library to perhaps discover something about them in some historical documents, but nothing but the Great Fairy's word had given any credence to their existence.

"We must have done the summoning wrong," mused Zelda, tapping a finger on his arm in thought. Frankly, Link was beginning to believe that as well.

He wanted to know more about their past and the lives that they lived, but mostly he was anxious about this lifetime that he and Zelda had faced Lord Xerthos' predecessor. If they could know the intricacies of his power and his limitations they'd have more of a chance. He hated being left in the dark about an enemy. Also, it wouldn't hurt to know more about the Augurer's - Ganondorf's - mechanisms this time. One thing was for certain, he was after Hyrule, a land he had coveted since they'd first met the evil king. And if he went by redundancy he'd be trying to capture him and Zelda for their Triforces.

"Perhaps this is yet more judgment enacted by the Goddesses," said Zelda, voice becoming silent. "Maybe they do not want us to remember."

All this worrying and talk of punishment and forgiveness was only giving him a blasted headache. Grasping her by the arms, he twirled her around to face him. Her eyes blazed at him in irritation at the rough-handling.

Link gifted her his most sincerest smile in his repertoire and brushed an errant strand of hair away from her cheek.

"Forget all that right now," he said earnestly, "Forget everything at the moment but for us. Let's pretend that there's no Lord Xerthos, no Augurer, no darkness looming ahead of us, and no lifetime but this one. Let's pretend that we're a perfectly ordinary man and a woman in love with each other with no burning pasts to mar our impressions of the other."

"Mar our impressions?" repeated Zelda skeptically, "Are you implying that you think poorly of me in some way."

He patted her cheek chidingly. "Let's get back to where we were, alright. If we were just that, people who were in no way a part of some greater design, what would you do in this situation?" He indicated to their current position. Her embraced in his arms, held closely against him, their breaths mingling in the morning mist.

Zelda stared at him and Link could see the exact moment she broke and decided to humor him. Her features softened as her eyes sparked with mischief. "I would politely step away from you, leave a warning about impropriety, and return back to my rooms to read a book."

What a downer. He pulled her closer until their noses were almost touching. "You wouldn't want to kiss me senseless? We are all alone here, after all."

Her answer was definite and concise. "I imagine that without any past lives to connect us, and without any lurking dangers, we would never have met and therefore not be in a relationship with each other."

"I'd like to think that no matter what, we're destined for each other," he said, voice low and hot. "If we were given one lifetime without an evil overlord trying to take over, we would find each other still. Maybe then we'd have a petty little quest to be together, and our hearts would be constantly shattered by others who try to keep us apart. It would seem a minor trouble in comparison to what we live through now, but in that life it would be the focus of all our anxieties."

"A petty life," Zelda murmured, lips twitching in a smile. "What high aspirations you have."

She lifted on her toes to kiss him. Link held both sides of her face and drew her in.

It was hard not to long for such a life. A life where his worst fears did not amount to either of them dying or undergoing a whole extent of other tortures. Where his goal was to see them both survive with as little lasting damage, both mental and physical, as possible. Just one life of peace, was that entirely improbable?

Zelda was the first to pull away, breaking out of his arms in that same motion. "I should get back. Brula and I are still working on the Black Corps."

Reality set in, their fanciful fantasy evaporating like words on the wind. "Have you discovered what they are exactly?"

He had interest in those dark assassins only as much as it provided him an advantage for next time.

Zelda idly tugged at the gloves covering the scars on her hands. "We've confirmed it. He was definitely an ordinary man once. There's something that's polluting him. A black magic, layers upon layers of it. Brula and I have successfully dismantled a few, but I fear that to take them down entirely the Black Corps would have to be killed." She looked up and met Link's eyes, her face overtaken with sorrow. Drawing a shallow breath she gazed piercingly at the floor, brows furrowed in thought. "It's like an infection, and whatever has been infecting him has plagued him for years. It would destroy him if I worked on him further, but there are still things about the Black Corps that we could learn."

"I'm surprised he hasn't disappeared yet," said Link. Whatever spell Zelda had casted to preserve the man's body was still at it.

She shook her head. "A matter of time. It's just depressing because he no longer has any will of his own. He must have had family at one point. Who knows if they're waiting for him, or if they are wondering what had become of him."

Hearing her talk about her subject, a man who had tried to kill them both exactly a week ago, as if he were someone to be pitied irritated him. "Foulkes said the men who join always have an option. He chose to become a Black Corps."

Something triggered at the mention of Dasril, he could see it in her eyes. The pain of betrayal. She averted them away, suddenly surly.

They had searched this past week for Lord Foulkes and discovered only one thing for certain. That he was no longer in the castle, nor the surrounding premises. He had broken his agreement that he would remain confined within these walls until his ten year probation was over. He hadn't even been allowed to leave should Lord Xerthos take Hyrule for himself. But now this, yet another betrayal for them to contend with.

Although Link didn't care for the man at all and would rather see him dead than anything, it struck him how much the loss pained Zelda. She had taken her chance and trusted that Dasril's newfound loyalty to her would overshadow his desire for power and in the end had been severely disappointed. They should have known better. But it still did not explain how Orretus, the Sheikah that had been sent to guard him, had disappeared as well. None of the Sheikah had been able to contact him, so unless he had switched sides – which was completely ludicrous – or began to sympathize with Dasril, something must have happened to him.

"I'm worried. We have no idea where he could be," said Zelda, fidgeting with the end of her braid.

He sighed. It was one of her shortcomings. She didn't trust easily, but she cared far too much. She must have really bonded with Dasril during her time in hiding. He'd be lying if he said that he wasn't glad that the man was gone, and yet Link would have preferred him here, in their sights as it were, to keep a watch over and to ascertain that he didn't do anything dubious.

"He couldn't have run away, Link," she went on, heedless of his growing ire, "Goddesses, what if Xerthos came for him and hurt him?"

"He has Orretus with him," Link replied undaunted.

She shot saddened eyes at him. "The Sheikah are not invincible, Orretus does not have limitless energy to expend. He could be hiding away somewhere recuperating for all we know."

"Or what if Lord Foulkes decided he did not like his punishment and tricked Orretus then went back to join Xerthos," said Link, approaching her languidly.

Zelda shot him a harsh stare. "That's not what happened," she said firmly, unrelentingly.

"It could be," Link argued, hovering beside her. He leaned in close. "A man who betrays once can betray again just as easily."

"He wouldn't…" called Zelda, backing away. "He'd never… Not again. He promised."

"Hate to tell you this, but we both know promises don't mean anything to some people in this world," he said. It hit him that he was being unnecessarily cruel, yet how could he not when it pertained to either of the ex-ministers. Hatred was a strong emotion, one that he rarely felt, however it flared at the very thought of either of the two men, Reth DeSange and Dasril Foulkes. No one had ever inspired that much animosity from him in ages. None but Ganondorf himself.

And perhaps he was a mite bit jealous at the amount of care she showed to Dasril. Unreasonable, he knew, but he couldn't help the rise of the green demon burning in his soul.

"He couldn't leave the castle," added Zelda defiantly. "At least not on his own."

"Then he had an accomplice," he countered. "The fact remains that's he's gone, Zelda. Despite the improbability of it, he's gone and it's most likely he left of his own will."

Wrong thing to say. He should have reminded himself that his princess was used to people leaving her in life. She left behind friends from each reincarnation, and when he, her constant companion, had left as well it had been too much.

Immediately contrite, Link shut his mouth and strode back a few steps, turning away. His neck tensed at the silence that followed as he attempted to drown his anger. It faded completely when she stole over to him and hugged him from behind. He sighed and placed a hand over her enfolded arms.

"Goddesses, I'm sorry, Zelda," he murmured.

She buried her head against his back. "It's okay. You're upset and you bring up a reasonable explanation. You could be right about that assumption, much as it grieves me. Sometimes the facts must be stated even if we don't want to hear them."

He sighed. Always so understanding. "I love you, you know that," he said, reaching a hand back to smooth over her cheek. He felt her smile into his palm and plant a short kiss between his shoulder blades.

At that moment she perked up and hastily dislodged herself from him. Link wondered what was up when suddenly his shadow shifted as Laval settled back in.

_**Something's going on.**_

An instant later footsteps pounded on stone as a soldier rushed up to them. He stopped, panting harshly as he gathered breath.

"You are Link and Lady Zelda? Come quickly!"

It was then Link heard the faint pounding of drums.

* * *

><p>Link virtually flew up the stairs to the ramparts at the Southern Quarter of Castle Town. Soldiers were running about, readying their armaments and taking positions at the slots along the wall. The land on the other side of the wall was vast and wide, and at the apex of the closest hill he saw them. Beasts, monsters, hordes of bulblins, moblins and lizalfos all converged in one growing storm of bloodlust. Over the heady shrills of the beasts, a steady beat rang out like a barbaric chant in the air, piercing them all with identical feelings of trepidation. War drums.<p>

Lord Xerthos had at last made his move just as winter waned, as Zelda had predicted. But they were ready. The soldiers and battle mages had been informed in advance, the citizens had been cautioned days ago and relayed what to expect. The witch had said that it was inevitable that Hyrule would fall, and although Link aimed to make certain that didn't happen, if their enemy did prevail they'd see to it that it was not an easy victory.

Zelda stood beside him, stone-faced as she swept her gaze over the army. Cries of the beasts resounded in the air. It would be the cause of many a men and women's nightmares in days to come.

"So many," muttered Zelda, voice frigid with dismay. "This has to be at least twice the amount I calculated initially during my travels."

"I don't see any sign of the Augurer or Xerthos," input Link, eyes flashing as they flit about the enemy troops.

Link and Zelda wended further around the bustle of men and women, heading toward a captain that was stationed near the edge of the wall in order to get a gander at their surroundings.

It had taken them a little over an hour to don their armor and equip themselves before riding on horseback to the Southern Wall, the location with the widest landscape and thereby greatest concentration of enemies. Zelda wore her deep blue cloak, two long daggers strapped to her back as well as an assortment of various other weapons in compartments hidden about her form. Link came with his chain mail and Master Sword, the hilt illusioned by Zelda to appear ordinary. He didn't like the attention he received whenever somebody noticed the winged cross guard. This time he would delay his revealing as hero.

Sir Vaughan was standing with the captain, speaking in hushed tones as the man nodded. Five Anathema were currently in the city right now, one to each wall while Vaughan would join their party to track down Xerthos and the Augurer.

Link frowned at the sight of the knight.

During that short week that he'd known him, Vaughan hadn't appeared at all interested in working with him. He had been civil and had listened with intent whenever Link had given his input during their strategy meetings, but had immediately brushed him off afterwards, adding in his own opinions and overlooking Link's. He acted the same way toward Zelda. The fact that they had confirmed to him that she was the Harkinian heir and next in line to the throne had not swayed him in the least. His impression of her was the same as everyone else's, that she was a lower class noble or part of the gentry and knew little about the wide world. Zelda was more understanding than Link when it came to Vaughan's patronizing, yet even she had pursed her lips in displeasure a time or two during their discussions.

It was clear that Vaughan thought of them as younglings, inexperienced and arrogant to have been assigned such a task as theirs. In hindsight Link shouldn't have mentioned his real age when asked. It would have been better to have played it off as if he were far older than he appeared. He had a feeling their young age had a great deal to do with Vaughan's skepticism. The knight hadn't been around to hear of all Link's feats so did not put much stock in his capabilities, and the rescue of the duke he thought to be over-exaggerated. After all, Brula's stealth squad consisted of younglings too.

Vaughan had been told nothing of their reincarnation nor anything about the spell Zelda had submitted the entire country to. A few times Link had been tempted to enlighten him. See how he'd think of them then, but regretfully decided not to. Both he and Zelda were keen on their secrecy.

Despite his dislike of the man, Link offered up a tiny nod in greeting and nothing more. Vaughan barely spared them a glance and continued his discussion with the captain.

By now Link was close enough to listen.

"How long ago did the enemy show up?" Vaughan asked smoothly. His voice had a soft quality to it, pervasive yet humble. It was simple to discern even over all the clamor.

The captain looked about, brushing a bud of sweat from his brow. "I'd say about two hours ago. A bit less. Appeared all of a sudden. Our lookouts caught them teleporting in right after the sixth hour. We sent word to the castle right away. Apparently there's more at the other walls."

He nodded, staring laggardly out at the army. "And they've made no move to attack?"

"None," replied the captain, fidgeting with the helmet tucked under his arm. Vaughan had a knack for making one feel lesser when speaking to them. The captain was fraught with tension at his very proximity. He was speaking with an Anathema after all. "We're guessing that they mean only to intimidate for now and are waiting for some sort of signal."

Link could see that the beast army was far out of range of the Hyrulean archers and spell casters, but not for the ballistas. Loaded with heavy steel arrows, tipped with explosive bombs which would blast the ground on impact, he wondered why they hadn't taken advantage of the weapon yet. Unless they'd been ordered not to.

Zellandus was back at the castle with Brula and their best strategists. Through a communication network using the Sheikah, they'd be able to direct orders and gather information from each section that was to be protected. The tacticians would devise strategies based on what they heard and relay them through the Sheikah, all of who would constantly be darting back and forth between the castle and their assigned points. In years gone by they'd used hawks or signals. It was really time for them to devise some better means of fast communication.

"My question is why haven't they teleported directly into the city?" the captain murmured, stroking the scruff on his chin.

Zelda looked over the ramparts and answered, "There is a magical barrier that follows the path of the perimeter of the city and prevents anyone from warping directly inside. One may teleport out or within other areas of Castle Town, but to enter one must physically cross that barrier."

Vaughan gave her a curious glance as if noticing her there for the first time. The captain hesitantly tipped his head at them, recognizing only Link, who was known around as the prince's bodyguard. He was probably wondering what a simple bodyguard was doing out on the front lines instead of guarding the prince as was his job.

"Teleporting an army is no easy task," continued Zelda, ignoring the listless stare the Anathema was giving her. "There's a chance that Lord Xerthos and the Augurer are hiding away somewhere, recuperating. Their mana would have depleted in order to pull this off. At least, I hope so."

It would give them an edge, that was for sure.

"I agree," said Link, thinking deeply. "That may be what they're waiting for. Them to replenish their stores in order to lead the attack."

"That could take hours," said Zelda, shaking her head.

"Or minutes," he replied, "Depending if they have green potions or not."

"Well don't you two have it all figured out," inserted Vaughan, and even though his voice was mellow with disinterest he revealed an unimpressed mien.

A tick beat in his jaw at the man's mannerism. He didn't like the way Vaughan talked down to them as if he were senior. Little did he know…

Link felt Laval perk and realized why a second later when a shadow took form against the wall in front of them, shaped in a dark blob, painting the bricks black. Many of the surrounding men and women stepped back in shock, emitting startled exclamations. Zelda and Vaughan stared at the shadow undaunted.

The Sheikah spoke in a smooth male voice,_** The Goddess Mark in the Southern Quarter, district thirty-three appears to have a malfunction. Lady Brula wants two mages sent to assist, along with a force of twenty soldiers to keep the civilians calm. **_

Link saw Zelda stiffen beside him and took in her stone-faced expression, eyes narrowed and flickering with light.

The captain replied after a short moment and held his helmet tighter. "Yes, we'll see to it right away," he said then turned to issue orders to the closest set of soldiers, chain mail jangling under his armor. The Sheikah faded off and swept away back to the castle to confirm to the strategists that the task was being attended to.

The civilians had been forewarned a few days ago that they might come under siege by the dreaded Augurer. The first call to arms had roused them in the morning to be rapidly evacuated. With so many people and with only one Goddess Mark in each district it was taking a while to get everybody out. Depending on the outcome of this battle they would either return to Castle Town once the siege was over, or stay away.

Link could see Zelda biting her bottom lip and peering down into the city. She looked ready to bound away at any second. She had on that cloak of hers, the one with the strange powers. She could disappear in a blink.

"The mages will deal with it, Zelda," said Link, trying to quell that anxious look about her as she watched the soldiers that had been enlisted for the task shoot down the stairways. "There's nothing to worry about."

It didn't prevent her from staring longingly in their direction. "I won't feel easy until I've ascertained for myself that the warp point will function properly."

He frowned, his own uneasiness surging within him. "I don't think it's wise for us to split up. The Augurer could appear at any moment."

"Just let her go," said Vaughan abruptly. He waved his hand over at the departing group in a nonchalant manner. "There's been no activity for a while. It could take hours for something to transpire. She can spare a few minutes to check then return here."

"I'll see be able to see the flares," added Zelda resolutely.

At each wall there were at least a dozen battle mages, each and every one trained for combat and could cast signal sparks in the sky that whistled and lit up like fireworks. If the Augurer was spotted then red would flare up, if it was Xerthos then blue, and if the unlikely event occurred that the enemies were overtaking them and they required reinforcement, they shot orange. Outnumbered as they were, the Hyrulean forces were still greater in power than the beasts. Hyrule was a land ceaselessly crawling with all foul manner of creatures, the Hyruleans had been trained to fight them, knew their weaknesses, had magic and were overall better equipped. It was only Xerthos and the Augurer they had to worry about. If they appeared it would give the beasts a handy edge.

He didn't like the thought of her leaving his side, yet he couldn't prevent her from going if she really wanted to. He understood that she wasn't asking his permission, she was imploring him not to be upset that she would be leaving either way.

"Do as you wish," he said, giving her a piercing stare. He'd try not to let her absence displease him too much.

She cast him a grateful smile then walked to the edge of the battlements, rifling in her pouch. Her hand emerged with a white object dangling from her fingers. Link blinked as he watched her fasten the mask around her head, tying the chord in the back in a firm bow.

She glanced at him when she noticed his gaze and cocked her head as if asking 'what?' Link nearly shivered at the sight of the dark narrow eye slits.

He chuckled humorlessly. "You're going to really give them a scare if you go in as 'Hawk'."

Zelda caught on straight away and whipped her hair up in a long tail. "I'll only be seen if necessary. And so you do not cause yourself any future embarrassment at the misconception, it's a falcon mask. Gyrfalcon, to be precise."

With that she dove off over the side, startling a few of the soldiers into thinking she was careening straight toward the ground, before her cloak flared as she glided over the rooftops. Link watched her go, immersed in a sudden state of pathos.

"Well, at least we know she has a quick means of escape if it comes down to it." said Vaughan, watching her intently. He said this in a way that clearly stated he was sure this was going to happen. Did the man hold no confidence in them at all? He probably thought it would fall to him to be the one to take on the Augurer and Xerthos on his own. Maybe if he'd actually been around to see him and Zelda sparring with each other he'd reassess them. Link had quickly found out that the man held little interest in many things.

"Indeed," Link said absently.

He thought he saw the knight's eyes flash. "I had not been told that flight lie's in the Lady Zelda's repertoire of skills."

Link didn't reply, instead moving over to the wall's edge to overlook the shrilling mob, drums pounding incessantly in their disorderly pattern. He wouldn't be surprised if they resonated all throughout the town.

They were just gathered there looking intimidating…

Vaughan came up beside him. "It is odd to see such an assembly of beasts appear so orderly compared to the usual mayhem that so many beasts together make. Lizalfos and moblins do not ordinarily coexist peacefully. I've witnessed the two species in conflict many times before."

A cool wind blew from the south, biting the exposed skin of his face. Half the land was still dark as the sun slowly emerged into wakefulness. Again he wondered why the ballistas were not being shot. Why had Zellandus and Brula not given the word?

A high-pitched whistle rent the air.

Link and all who were stationed on the wall turned to see a glaring streak of red light veering high into the sky.

Everyone's reaction was instant. The soldiers shouted in loud exclamations, running about, hurrying to their posts and making sure that they were well stocked. The captain bellowed orders, all the while keeping a steady eye on the army a few leagues away from them.

Link and Vaughan said not a word as they dashed down the ramparts and to their horses. Swinging up into the saddle, Link kicked the Epona's flanks and sent her galloping down the cobbles of the main street.

The flare had come from the eastern battlements. The Augurer had appeared.

They shot down the road then pulled onto a side street, cutting through the interior to save time. Link hadn't had a chance to memorize the layout of the city, but by the looks of it, Vaughan knew exactly where they were going.

The mages were hurrying now to send the last of the citizens off. Link reeled Epona past one of the warp points to find that there were only a few dozen or so people left, the mages had been working themselves haggard for this. The streets were virtually abandoned as they galloped at quick pace.

Cries of battle met them long before they arrived at the scene. Swerving around the next bend onto the main road, Link came upon a sight of chaos. The hordes had indeed made it in and were battling against the Hyrulean forces with ferocious will. Link charged Epona through the mayhem, keeping an eye out for the Augurer.

Among the throng he could see Commander Deb in a clamor against an enormous moblin twice her size. She swirled and slashed her blade at it, her quick speed overpowering the beast's might, and stabbed it behind its unprotected knees, causing it to collapse to the ground. With a slick whip of her blade through the creature's throat, it was dead.

She turned to face her next adversary when Link rode up, kicking his heel into the face of a nearby bulblin, causing it to fall back, its head cracking against stone.

"Where is he?" called Link over the shouts of men and beast in combat with each other. "The flare was set off. Where's the Augurer?"

Deb cleaved the head right off of the next bulblin, blood spraying her sword, and answered swiftly, "Disappeared. Right after he brought down the gates," she grunted as her sword impacted that of another moblin, "He teleported out of there. His power. It was like nothing I'd ever seen. Those positioned at the gates hadn't stood a chance."

Epona whinnied beneath him as she circled in a canter. Link tried to steady her with his knees as he fought off the beasts that came at him. It was like they could sense that this Epona was not used to warfare and battle and they targeted her like a sharpshooter to his mark. Link kept them away for the most part, but had to leap off her when she began to buck, hooves stomping fearfully and ready to rear.

"Blast it," he shot, rolling and coming up in a crouch. He whipped his blade around and slapped the blunt end on Epona's flank. It sent her quickly galloping away, trampling any poor bulblin that got in her path.

He saw Vaughan engaged in a swarm of his own and witnessed the proof of the fighting he excelled at. To his right, Deb cursed and grunted as the weight of the moblin she'd just slain started to fall on her. She swiftly rolled out of the way just as the body fully collapsed.

Link twirled around and wheeled his blade at another bulblin. That's when he saw it, the result of the Augurer's break in. About fifty yards away down the main street he surveyed the crumbling remnants of the wall. Stone, wood, and mortar had been blasted away, a great gap formed the entrance to the city, a gap filled with the oncoming hordes.

It tore his breath away. The Augurer had done this? That was what he was up against. So typically Ganondorf style. His enemy always had to be extravagant in the extreme.

He felt the comforting grip of the Master Sword as it bit into a lizalfos this time. The Blade of Evil's Bane, forged by the Goddesses themselves and gifted as a companion to the Hero of Legend to preclude the rise of evil. With it he could banish any darkness. The power of the Almighty trumped any middling power a demon could possess.

Deb maneuvered beside him, flanked by two more soldiers who were double-teaming a vicious looking moblin. The skulls at its waist a testament to its deadliness.

"Leave the hordes to me and my men," she called over the clang of metal. The gemstone in the pommel of her sword lit up and her opponent suddenly buckled under the pressure of their grind. "You go find the Augurer! You must defeat him! For Hyrule's sake!"

Link slashed down an armored lizalfos and retreated back a step. Defeat the Augurer or Hyrule will undergo another age of darkness until they could counter with a second strike. Numerous lives could be destroyed during that time, he had no choice but to leave and find the Augurer and Xerthos. His strength had built during the span that he'd regained his memories. He was better, stronger, and he had the Master Sword. He'd faced foes like these throughout the ages, he would win, he'd prevent the darkness before it ever started.

But at the same time he hesitated. Could it be that easy? Was he underestimating the enemy simply because of his advantage? In all his lives he'd had to go on a great quest first in order to become powerful enough to face Ganondorf. His foe always accumulated power quickly in life, far surpassing both he and Zelda in might. He had to remind himself that Ganondorf was remembering too. And with Xerthos, a demon, on his side, he'd be twice as strong.

The eddies of his last reincarnation cautioned him as well. Back then he'd been brash and headstrong. Overconfident as well as arrogant. Look how easily things had gone wrong, all because of his foolishness.

However now, as his body danced to motions ages ago learned, slaying with skill and adeptness that he'd taken lifetimes to hone, his blood raged within him as the cry of battle sang in his veins. Determination was regained anew. Face the Augurer, take him down, and do not allow Hyrule to topple. If they could manage that then the war would be all but done before it had officially begun. He would be wise and remain reasonable and level-headed. He'd not be so cocky this time.

"We don't know where he is," shot Link, thrusting the Master Sword between two ribs of a moblin, letting the blade drink of its blood. His Triforce burned beneath his glove as he sliced his sword out and stepped over the dead body to his next opponent. Those nearby beasts who had been keeping an eye on him were becoming increasingly wary of him now and less eager to approach. One look of him and they sensed peril. However Link drove on with single-intent. To slay as many as he could. A warm up for when he had to face down the Augurer.

"Until he shows himself again there is no use sending me elsewhere," he said, giving a loud 'hah!' as he dodged under a spear that aimed at him. And it was here that he could vent. All the ruin done in lifetimes past, the anguish and heartache, he took all those frustrations out on his foe's minions.

Deb didn't reply, her focus primarily on the surrounding enemies.

As the fight wore on, more and more the enemy were being pushed back. Because of its history of warfare and monster scourges, Hyrule had become a largely military country, one that specialized in defeating beasts of all kinds. Their foes never stood a chance. Numbers meant nothing to the Hyruleans. The monster's advancement in technology and thereby the creation of improved armor and weapons, was slow, and they were not wise enough to conceive strategies and efficiently work together as a pack, much less cooperate among so many different races.

It was simple for the soldiers to swiftly turn the tides and begin to overwhelm the beasts. Link could literally see morale boosting as the men and women hollered and cheered each other on.

But then that strident screech of another flare shot to the heavens. A flame red, striking against the sky. Another streak was quick to follow, this time orange.

Link paused and shared a steady look with the commander.

The Western Wall had been breached.

* * *

><p>Zelda flung out her arm and projected her magical shield just as the demolished building started to teeter and collapse. Stone blocks were suspended midair and she held them long enough for the last of the soldiers, who had been battling nearby, to escape out of range.<p>

Giving a strained grunt, she released the stone and masonry all at once, causing them to slam into the street, a crumbling heap of rubble.

Searching about, she determined that battle was in good hands. Their soldiers made light of dispatching the beasts one by one.

Swiveling on her heels she took a great leap to the pole of a rumpled awning and then bounded from there to the rooftops, scurrying across to her next destination.

She had been both shocked and wary when the Southern gate and the surrounding wall had been blown half a mile down the street as a powerful force had overtaken her. The monsters had flocked in minutes later, flooding the main street and extending their forces down the side roads. The Hyrulean troops were doing well in battering them back, the fight was in their favor.

It was suspicious. What really concerned her was the thought processing behind this. The Augurer had staged this tactical maneuver. He must have known that his army was disadvantaged and would clearly fail at their task of claiming the city. There had to be another motive behind it. Some goal that the Augurer was after.

Or did the Augurer truly believe that he, along with his supposed master, were might enough to carry their forces, accomplishing victory by their power alone?

A demon.

Using the power of Wisdom resting deep within her they had resurrected the might of a demon so old that he'd not even been mentioned in the Hylian annals. There were no sagas that featured a demon named Enandri, no war documents or poetic tributes. Nothing. How much did the might of a demon increase when it had rested for so long?

Another thing was the Triforce. Wasn't that what Ganondorf always desired in his never ending obsession? Was Ganondorf really the Augurer? It was hard to be definitive, but Link was positive. Without any solid evidence, she was not so sure.

She raced across the rooftops, flying over the gaps and delving further into the city, moving farther away from the southern entrance. Link hadn't been there on her return. One of the men said that a flare had gone off in the Eastern Quarter. She hadn't seen it, but she was certain that was where Link was headed. However instead of following him, she made her way to Castle Town's center. It was evident that the Augurer was demolishing the gates one by one. With the way he leaped around they'd be lucky if they were able to head him off in time. However, if she were the Augurer, or Xerthos as it were, once she was within the city and past the warding magic that blocked warping, she'd teleport directly to her enemy's home base.

The castle, where Zellandus, among many other potential hostages resided. If he claimed the castle and took the life of her brother it would gain him one victory.

That couldn't happen.

There was no time to go wandering about searching for Link, and she had no way of contacting him unless she sent Impa off, an order the Sheikah was very likely to reject. She had to do this herself. And even if she didn't possess the Blade of Evil's Bane, she could hold him off. She was not powerless.

A few leagues away from the castle she caught signs of fast movement from her periphery.

Well well, it appeared that she was spot on. A pair of Black Corps were making their way northward over the deserted houses.

Vivienne's creations, Dasril had said, yet the Augurer's servants. He was bound to be somewhere close by. If he was within the city he'd be able to reach almost anywhere.

She was taken by surprise when the Corps abruptly dropped off the roofs. Slowing her pace, Zelda then detected the resonating sounds of battle. They had run into someone and decided to pick them off before heading toward their destination.

Like lightning she had her steel daggers out and in her fists. If there was someone there who had been left forgotten among the fleeing throngs she'd make certain that they got out safe.

Leaping off the ledge she soared over the heads of knights and Black Corps in clash with one another. Three of the knights had already fallen and one was favoring his right side as he fought on with his partner, the last remaining two against four live Corps.

Like a predator on a hunt, a falcon in the dive, she came down on them. Her daggers embedding deep within the back of the first Black Corps, causing him to crumple when she slashed them out and raised blood-stained steel to thwart off the attempts of another who meant to chop off her head.

The sight of their masked ally did nothing to reinvigorate the two men. Both were weary and worn as they fought on, as if this was not the first encounter with the enemy they'd had. One of the Corps managed to land a thrust in the injured man's flank. The blade flared with blackness and the man screamed, dark liquid pouring out of him.

"Wist!" the other man called, fighting with wild ferocity in order to reach his injured friend.

At the sound of his name, Zelda shot around, tossing forth her long steel needles at another of the Corps as she went, missing him by inches, and confirmed that indeed it was James and Wist she was assisting. Both of them she knew had been delegated to defending the castle.

Wist fell, black smoke emitting from his wound. He gasped and gave a stiff shiver, his sword releasing from his grip as he held himself on his hands.

"Wist, hold on!" James shouted, making a dash for his fallen friend. He was swiftly intercepted by a Black Corps, who flashed in front of him, and ground to a halt just before the upheld blade pierced his chest.

Zelda was having trouble with her own opponent as he vanished and reappeared in various places. She was having trying futilely to keep up with his movements. He wouldn't be caught by surprise like the one she'd killed. He used fast teleportation to appear behind her, above her, to either side, keeping her on her toes and having her rely solely on quick reaction and wit. It occurred to her that they were just like Reth, but quicker and with less distance between each instance they disappeared and reappeared.

"Wist! Don't you dare give up now!"

Zelda mentally cursed at the time it was taking to get rid of these Corps.

Wist began to gurgle, a dark essence rising from his throat and Zelda hurried to finish her fight and reach him. Ten paces away James faced off against the remaining two Corps. Like lightning, Zelda struck and caught her adversary by the end of his cape before he could flash out. She clawed her fingers into his shoulder, bringing him down as she kneed him in the gut. He doubled over and she shoved the sharp end of her dagger through his keaton mask, cleaving into his skull.

Her breath wavered as the Black Corps hit the ground and dissipated like the beast he had become. If death be their only salvation, then so be it. Knowing that there was an actual person behind that mask, not just some monster, changed everything. Killing people tore at her soul and she was ashamed to say that over time she'd gotten used to it. There were those that just couldn't be saved and there were others that didn't want to.

Maybe one day she could have unravelled all the dark spells that had been intertwined with the Corp's souls, but right now she didn't have any time for it.

She stepped over the black splotch on the stone, the only evidence to the man's passing, and moved onto the next. Jame's was struggling to hold off the other two. Anger filling her being, Zelda had only to fling out her needles, which found their marks deep in one of the distracted Black Corps' neck where the poisoned tips took effect and consumed his body, leaving one man left over.

The last Corps vanished and appeared directly behind James. James anticipated the redundant move and whirled around, quickly sticking his sword into the man's abdomen. After a delayed response, the Corps poofed out like the others and James stumbled, thrusting a hand against the wall of a house to catch himself.

For all the Black Corps had been made into killing machines, they were flawed. Lack of will made them unable to use their own judgment and more liable to err. They might as well have been soulless hulks of flesh.

James staggered as he made his way to where Wist was huddling in a ball, skin ghostly pale and sweating.

Zelda reached him first and hunkered down to assess him. Her eyes saddened behind her mask as she took in his weak pulse, the black gunk clogging his throat - she wouldn't be able to feed him a red potion - and the speedily festering wound.

"Dark magic has been used on him," she murmured quietly. "I fear that it may be too late."

James came to an awkward halt a few steps away. From the corner of her eyes she saw him quivering with repressed emotions. He hastily stumbled over and fell to his knees beside his friend.

Wist looked at him with tired eyes, face paling rapidly.

"How could you let yourself get hit?" demanded James, inhaling shakily. "How could you let this happen?"

Wist gave him a long stare, blinking slowly as he made to shrug, as if to say that some things are unpreventable. He coughed as more black substance emerged from his throat, sleek as oil. The dark magic was rapidly overtaking him. She sent her own magic within him to try and counter it, but the destruction that it had already waged to his body was devastating. She wouldn't be able to save him in time.

"Please, Wist, you're my dear friend," said James, "You cannot leave me!"

But in the next instant Wist breathed his last, the black magic sapping his life from him. Zelda shook and slowly retracted her light magic. She reached out a gloved hand and closed his eyes, drawing the sacred triangle on his brow.

James darted to his feet and stepped away, tears budding at the corners of his eyes as he covered his face. "I – I know the Hyrulean motif in battle is to carry on and mourn later, but… but I had never thought…" Jame's voice wavered and he had to steady himself by taking quick breaths.

A pit formed in her stomach and was swiftly filled with sorrow. Wist had initially been her suitor, only ever an amusement in her younger years, someone to flirt with, but he had fast become Link's ally and friend, and out of the both of them Link regarded his friendships far more meaningfully than she ever had. How devastated he would be.

"In anguish my heart doth cry," murmured Zelda sorrowfully, respect prompting her to remove her mask to gaze at Wist's still form directly.

"Goddesses watch over thee forevermore," Jame's managed between shaking breaths, barely reacting to the revelation of her identity.

"Elisamtura," Zelda recited, sweeping her hand forward in the gesture of honor as she finished the 'Elegy to the Fallen', a prayer dedicated to those lost in battle.

An abrupt silence fell as James stared listlessly at the corpse of his friend. Zelda didn't let it last for long. They'd been the closest of friends, James and Wist, ever since boyhood, one would barely ever be seen without the other. But there was a reason for that Hyrulean motif.

Allowing numbness to wash over her heart, Zelda turned back to James. "His body has been tainted by dark essence. If we leave him there's a risk that someone could come across it and be affected as well."

He understood her meaning, his blank eyes telling as they stared unseeingly at her. "Then let it be done, Lady Zelda."

She nodded and with a flick of her hand white light sparked from her fingertips and lit upon Wist. James looked away, shoulders stiffening as the light flared and ate away at the body until there was nothing left, not even ash. She lowered her hand once the task was complete and gathered a moment to soothe her aching heart. Why did her people always have to die? Why in every era did they have to suffer like this?

"Thank you," muttered James lowly.

Zelda turned to him. "We should see to your wounds."

"I'll be fine," he hissed, limping away.

Disgusted by his stubbornness, Zelda followed. "If you plan on going back in to fight you should do so without your injuries to distract you. It's detrimental that you be healed."

"Are you a healer now too?" shot James, eyes flickering wildly as he peered down the street.

Zelda frowned and returned her mask to its proper position covering her face. Contrary to many of her other lives, this current body of hers hadn't been born with the genetics that enabled healing powers. She might be able to develop some if she gave it deliberate practice, or if she tapped into her Triforce piece, but for now she possessed mostly offensive powers, her scalding light magic.

"I have a red potion," she said, watching as his pointed ears perked up and he faced her, wiping his face clear of sweat and dust.

"Fine."

She pulled out a bottle from her pouch and handed it over to him. He downed half before stoppering it and giving it back. "Keep some for whoever else might need it," he said plainly.

Zelda placed the bottle carefully back with the others and spoke again, "If you're not up to it, there's a warp point nearby. I can send you to one of the outlying villages to recover."

"Warp…" he muttered abjectly before his eyes widened in horror. "The Augurer! Commander Deb must be warned!"

"You've seen him?" she urged. James struggled not to collapse and steal a moment of rest as he nodded.

"He appeared in the courtyard. He had an army with him, but these were men, not monsters. Soldiers who bore a crest I did not recognize."

Soldiers? Actual people fighting for him? How had she not uncovered this information before? How had he hidden it?

"What's more," James went on.

_Goddesses, how could there be more_? thought Zelda dismally, but waited to listen before bounding off as her instincts demanded she do.

"The Sheikah haven't been coming back. We've lost all contact with the contingents at the walls."

That wasn't good. At once Zelda consulted Impa.

_**I do not feel them nearby. The others must have run into something foul indeed in order to be swayed from their tasks. I suspect the enemy has prepared a distraction. **_

"You would feel if they took physical forms?" asked Zelda uncertainly.

Impa's answer was revealed in her silence. So they hadn't. But then what could be deterring them from returning to the castle.

"I must find Zellandus," shot Zelda, already shooting down the road.

Fumbling footsteps behind her made her aware that she was being followed by James.

"I'm coming with you," he called.

Zelda whirled around, stopping him in his tracks. "Go warn the commander. It was what you were ordered to do, was it not? You and Wist and those others before the Black Corps appeared?"

His gaze became steely as she spoke, confirming her assumption. Knights and a few guards were the only ones left at the castle so Brula would have had to send them to warn the regiments at the walls in the absence of the Sheikah. Idly Zelda wondered why they had not brought out the hawks and determined that they must not have been able to get to them in time before they were attacked.

"Wist wouldn't have left you to go off alone," James said, voice breaking at the announcement. "And nor will I."

It was courageous of him, and admirable how swiftly he followed that Hyrulean motif and did not allow the loss of his friend to affect what needed to be done. But he would be a handicap to her. She could move faster without him trailing at her heels.

"Go to the commander," she said, using a tone of authority well cultivated from her life as royalty. It was steely and hard and it took James by surprise as if he couldn't believe that this was the same kind woman he'd met mere days prior who was ordering him about like this, with ease. "You cannot possibly keep up with me," Zelda went on, before she flew off. With her brother in danger she had no intention of dallying.

Without another word, she once again took to the rooftops.

With the rate she ran she pushed the powers of Roc's Cape to its very limit, becoming a blur as she sped across the city, daggers gripped tightly at hand. Cries of battle reached her and this time they were not the grunts or hollers of beasts. People against people. She vaulted over the castle's outer wall and witnessed the destruction within.

Her eyes widened behind her mask as enlightenment hit her. Now she understood. The monsters had only been meant as a distraction. They'd been made to believe that the beasts were the Augurer's main force, while in reality, the real threat had been waiting in the rear and once they entered into the city on the tail end of the hordes, they'd been teleported to the Hyrule's command center to eliminate their leading tacticians and seize control of the castle.

It was so elaborate. Not even with all their preparations had they been able to anticipate this.

There! On one of the upper outside tiers of the castle she spotted Zellandus and with him was Carus, but not as his shadow. She had emerged and taken her beastial form, an enormous hound like creature, with a long thin tail resembling a whip, hunched shoulders and an engorged torso. She stood on her hind legs, barring shadow teeth like black sabers protruding from her mouth.

And before them, sword drawn and armor flashing in the sun, was the Augurer.

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><p>Both flares arced in the sky, dying twin shrieks, compelling Link to finish his downward strike, cleaving his foe in two, before turning on his heel and plowing through the mass of man and beast. Vaughan was a short distance away, and he signaled to him when next he looked in Link's direction.<p>

Deb was holding the enemy off fine on her own. She and the Hyrulean military were wiping them out like a blight. The men and women no longer retained battle-hardened expressions. Confidence shone in them and the more they killed the more eager smiles broke out on their faces. Link could read their thoughts clearly. "This is nothing." They were beginning to question the reason for the severity both Brula and Deb had featured when relaying their tasks. The battle against Bryant had been more devastating that this.

But that was because they all didn't know… They hadn't seen the real terror yet. None of them had faced the Augurer.

Link meant for him and Vaughan to cut their way through the throng and make their way over to the western gate where the flares had gone off, when suddenly an explosion from a stray bomb sounded. An archer had been dealt her death blow just as she'd been about to release her bomb arrow, resulting in her missing her target and the arrow striking the wall of a bakery just meters away.

The bakery was blasted near the base of its support beam and it rumbled as it came down on two unsuspecting soldiers and a bulblin. Sir Vaughan was near the clash and he got pelted with the rubble. He was thrown to the ground and swiftly rolled out of the way of a bokoblin who meant to take advantage of his vulnerability, giving out a sharp yelp as he did so.

Link hastened to his side, condemning any beast that got in his way to the void. Ripping the Master Sword into the bokoblin that had threatened Vaughan, he stooped next to the man, raising his shield in case an enemy made to come at them. Luckily they stayed clear away for now.

"Can you stand?" he asked, squinting through the dust clouds that the destruction had kicked up.

Gashes had appeared all along the knight's legs and there was a deep gouge in his side that had snapped the strap of his armor off and punctured his skin right between his breast and dorsal plates. Vaughan shook as he slowly got to his feet. Link was already pulling out a red potion from his pouch. Thankfully the magical nature of his pouch protected the contents within from breaking, no matter how many things banged against it.

Vaughan hid a wince and motioned Link away. "Save your potions for when you face the Augurer."

Link frowned and withdrew his hand. "If you're to assist me against him, you would hardly be able to last in the shape you're in now."

The knight simply rebuffed him and eyed him coldly. "You go on without me. I'll catch up when the healers have seen to me."

Without Vaughan, Link would be on his own against Ganondorf. Of course that was a reoccurring incident, he and the great King of Thieves facing off like the deadly rivals they were, yet still it would have boosted his confidence to have another with him, in case Ganondorf was accompanied by his generals, or in case Xerthos showed up as well. He wasn't strong enough yet to go against both of them at once. And where was Zelda? Shouldn't she have seen the flare and come rushing over to them? Hopefully she will have seen the one from the Western Wall and was heading over there.

But if she encountered the Augurer before him… In his mind that reoccurring vision arose, of the last time they'd gone against Ganondorf and how that had ended. Her blood…so much blood…and the deep laughter of their adversary. They were not infallible, they both bled and they could both die. He could no longer afford to be cocky, he had to take this threat seriously. It ultimately meant that he had to acknowledge the possibility of them failing.

Worry ate at him for Zelda's safety, but he pushed those hampering thoughts to the back of his mind. She was reliable and strong, nothing would happen to her. She could hold out until he arrived.

Although back up would be appreciated, he was confident that they didn't need Vaughan's help. Nor did he particularly want it. As guilty as he felt for thinking it, it was a small relief that Vaughan had gotten injured so soon in the battle. He wouldn't have to deal with his patronizing any longer. For all he knew the man would have taken charge and been a distraction while fighting against the Augurer and Xerthos.

And far be it of him to push Vaughan beyond his limits. If the knight wanted to stay behind for whatever reason then let him.

"Very well," said Link, taking a sweep of the battle around them then standing. It wouldn't be long now before the enemy was pushed back out of the town.

Making certain that there were soldiers around who knew of Vaughan's predicament and who could protect him until a healer was able to reach him, Link hurried away.

Out in the abandoned thoroughfare with carts and booths littering the sides, Link ran on, in search of a stable. Although the people had made it out safely they'd been forced to leave their pets and livestock, which meant Link was bound to find a horse somewhere. Epona was nowhere in sight, and he didn't think she'd be able to answer to her call at this point in her training.

Luck was with him when he sighted a dappled grey horse meandering around. The broken leather from its harness showed that it had yanked itself free from where it had been tied up. It spotted him and became skittish. Link approached it slowly and with enough coaxing was able to gather its reigns and mount it. He kicked its sides and spurred the horse westward leaving the sound of frantic battle behind him.

It was fate, he'd later decree, that sent him down the same road that Lord James Farlow was pelting down. He was on foot, armor discarded to travel faster, and he was a good distance away from the castle where he was supposed to be. Had he fled in fright? Knowing his personality, that couldn't be it. He looked as if he'd been running nonstop in order to reach some destination. If he'd been fleeing there were numerous Goddess Marks that he'd passed that he could have run to.

Link considered galloping past him, but decided to pull back on the reigns of his horse instead, sending it skidding to a halt. The stallion pranced and whinnied in agitation and James slowed down at their approach.

"Aren't you supposed to be at the castle?" demanded Link, pulse racing. A number of the knights who had stayed behind had been assigned to remain with the prince to guard him and help him escape in case the battle drew too close.

James bent over, leaning his hands on his knees to catch his breath and responded, "The castle is under attack. Surprise forces. Sheikah have not returned. Had no other way to warn," he gasped in between breaths.

A sudden heaviness settled over Link's heart. Then…were the monsters a diversion? That could be the only explanation. And what about the Sheikah? Why hadn't they returned? Where were they?

"Brula ordered us to get to the commander. I'm only one left," said James, blinking away sweat from his eyes.

Link was debating whether to go on to the West Gate or head to the castle when Jame's next words decided him.

"Lady Zelda has gone to help. I must hurry."

"Where has she gone?" called Link urgently. "To the castle?" Jame's could only give a silent nod, startled by Link's vehement reaction. The next second he was again pushing the horse to gallop onward, this time rerouting to the castle.

He was shocked, when he arrived, to see that the palace was teeming with unknown black-armored soldiers. The colors Hyruleans wore were blue and white, so who were these new people? The instant he saw them battling their own troops he knew that they were yet more enemies to contend with.

Recklessly, he charged the stallion past the open gatehouse to careen into the bailey where soldiers were waging battle left and right. James had not been pulling his leg when he'd said the castle was under attack, it was practically overcome with the black-armored soldiers. He spotted a few of the Black Corps as well and instantly drew on the alert. How he hated those _things_.

Link glanced around, looking for Zelda. The horse he had claimed had been a fortunate choice, for unlike Epona, this one knew how to fight and had obviously been brought up as a battle horse. He kicked and gnashed and shoved with his flanks at anyone who got remotely close to him. Link figured he was lucky the stallion had allowed him to ride it at all.

He jerked on the reigns the moment he saw the great hulk of a shadow, yards away on an upper level of the castle. Directing the stallion up a flight of stairs, he saw as the shadow beast drew up and swiped gigantic paws at its adversary. The Augurer dodged back, blocking each strike with his sword as a shimmering barrier took form, originating from the blade.

In frustration, the beast reared yet again. Coming up from above it, was Zelda. Leaping from its back, once the shadow beast was again pushed back by the formidable power, she struck in, twin daggers clashing with the Augurer's blade, the barrier flashing, yet she did not recoil at the immensity of its power. Instead her blades seemed to pierce through, emitting a glistening aura as they tore at his protection.

As if sensing that his means of defense was under threat, the Augurer thrust out a shock wave of darkness. Zelda gave a cry as she was flung away, the force ripping her fractured mask off her face, hair unraveling from its leather thong as she hit the ground and was sent rolling, coming to a stop with a groan. Zellandus was at her side in an instant, calling her name.

That was when Link arrived. Seizing the opening that the Augurer had unintentionally left for him, he came barrelling in, the stallion grunting beneath him. Taking the Augurer by surprise, he flung himself off the horse and raised his sword.

It took a second for the Augurer to recover from his initial shock and act as the Master Sword came swooping down on his head, barely nicking the side, but it was enough to send his horned helmet flying off to clatter on stone far away.

Link dove in a somersault and shot up, whirling around, bringing his sword to bear. It was him against the Augurer now. No more running away, no army of monsters in between them, and no mask to conceal his foe's identity.

Courage flared as he turned to face the Augurer.

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><p><strong>AN:**

**_Twokeyz_: I'm afraid we won't find out what happened to Andreas and the others until part 3. Such a long wait, sorry! It's going to branch out into a few separate arcs. Dear Goddesses, I might as well turn this into an original story at the rate I'm going. Also, y****ou'll see later what Vaughan means when he says the Anathema will essentially be classified as lowly soldiers. Actually, Xerhos would most likely just eliminate them entirely. Depends.**

**_Wolf_: Glad you're excited! I hope I don't disappoint. **

**_Tena_: All in one sitting? That's a lot of reading, hehe. It would take me hours, if not days, to reread everything. Glad you like it ^^**

**_NamelessReader31_: I think Zelda would have tried to find a way to steal the Triforce of Courage from Link. It would have been simple if it went as she'd planned and he didn't remember their past lives, but alas. They really did need the fluff, although I kind of want to revise it a bit. It sounds so sappy, lol.**

**_random aussie_: Fluffiness was a must at that point! Although they still have a lot to make up for before everything's sunshine and babies - oops, I meant daisies, hehe - with them. **

**_Guest (aug 1)_: Moar to come! Hopefully it won't take so long this time ;)**

**So apparently I'm too lazy to write down everyone's names at the top, but am not too lazy to leave replies here. And I'm going to give my best effort to reply to everyone's reviews this time.**

**Hope you enjoyed!**


	35. Chapter 35

**Sorry for the godawful cliffhanger. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed: typomaster, Ancient . tree, tetraforce theory, Prometheus17, Death Waltz, Incendavis, 11lol11, ThisIsANiceName, Bloodspire, Schniedragon88, Sleepyhead1011, LiddyRose, ThePredicate, Sam, xXbunnyholicXx, scbir, Doodle Ladle, GreenFantasy64, Kinnix Wolf, Fairy Proxi, Twokeyz and Camronius, and for those who've faved and followed, and for everyone who's just along for the ride. I hope you enjoy!**

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><p><span><strong>Chapter 35<strong>

From the moment his sword met the Augurer's helmet in the 'Helm Splitter' attack, he knew for certain that the one concealed within the armor was not the king of old. It was not the one whom rose in tandem with every cycle of rebirth that was spun, that fiendish Ganondorf. It was no king at all.

Therefore as he landed on the stone of the terrace and spun around, he was not surprised to discover that the Augurer was someone completely different.

Golden brown eyes connected with his, a deep molten hue that threatened to unhinge anything that was submitted to their vicious gaze. Long red hair billowed out in waves, secured at the nape of a long curved neck, skin pale as swan feathers. A jewel was beset on the forehead, a golden opal, inset into an intricate wiring of metal that served as a coronet. And then that face, heart-shaped, lips curved in a feminine smirk that was somehow sweet and condescending all at once, turned in his direction and gave way to the figure's identity.

"My my, what precision. If I were not ordered to kill you I'd have taken you for myself. I do love the warrior types, hmmhmm."

Zelda pushed herself up to her feet and stood on shaky legs, disbelief betrayed on her visage. "It can't be. We thought…"

"What?" replied Vivienne with snark. Her sword was held firmly in her grasp, eyes dancing in amusement. "That I was the great Thief King? That it was Ganondorf you were chasing all along? Your minds had no room for speculation. It was not even in your consideration to believe that it was anyone other than he. And I did nothing to prevent you from thinking it. Watching you both running around cluelessly was a source of endless entertainment for me."

Link had only seen her a few times, and all of those instances had left a bad feeling in him, similar to a distinctive foul aftertaste.

Vivienne Dalousi, he recalled. She had shown up Adra in the archery game, had then subsequently caused the great scar that was spread on Adra's collarbone, and had lastly turned Vrel away from him and collected him as one of her trophies. Dasril, had mentioned her as someone to be feared and had reported the sorts of vile acts this woman committed to entice men to her servitude, and it infuriated him that his friend had fallen for the same trap.

Link assessed the woman, fitted in black armor that appeared far too large for her lithe body, the symbol of the Triforce emblazoned as a coat of arms on the flat breastplate, cape billowing out behind her, shredded at the ends and giving her a predatory flare. Her horned helm had fallen ten feet away from him, large and impressive. It must have been able to latch to the armor. Nothing that big could possibly fit snuggly around her head. Her entire ensemble should have weighed a good few tons more than he'd be willing to carry on himself, yet she moved with ease, hefting her enormous jagged sword as simple as if it were a twig.

She stepped forward, armor clanking and – he swore – cracking the stone beneath her boots. Was this magic in effect or did her strength really supersede that of normal limitations?

He shifted his weight to his rear leg, not daring to lower his sword for one moment.

"Where is Vrel?"

From his periphery he saw Zelda give him a curious glance, taking advantage of the reprieve to catch her breath. He couldn't see Zellandus, nor the shadow beast that had attacked the Augurer before him, but he felt them hovering in the background, recovering or preparing to use this distraction to strike.

"Oh?" spoke Vivienne with saccharine sweetness, twirling her large blade in a wide circle. "You miss your little friend? Fear not. He is well taken care of."

Link fought not to become incited by that. His temper had run afoul a good too many times since he had reawakened and each instance it left him feeling worse than before.

He barely noticed his Triforce burning hot against his skin as he retorted, "No. I want him here so I can beat his cowardly arse to the dark realm and back!"

The heat bubbled hotter, scalding as golden liquid pooled through his veins.

"Just precious," responded Vivienne, sliding a heavy metal boot forward and readying her sword. The glimmer of bloodlust flashed in her eyes, reflecting his own with equal vitality. "But that's the fragility of friendship for you. Base desires always outflank chummy loyalties. I merely had to crook my finger and he came running."

The shadow beast leapt. In that swift second Link was almost fooled into believing the sky had darkened as the shadow flew overhead, landing with powerful paws in front of him, whip-like tail slashing the air. It snapped at Vivienne, the Augurer, who bounded out of its range. Once again he was astounded by the ease of her movements.

Vivienne ducked the swipe of the beast's enormous paw, and unsheathed one of the knives at her waist with her free hand.

That prompted Zelda to shoot across the terrace, hair flailing in tangled knots behind her. Link was quick to follow parallel to her. An anxiousness in her eyes caught his attention. They appeared fixated on the scene in front of her. He saw them convert to something wild and frantic.

"Carus!" she called, adding on a burst of speed. "No don't!"

Carus, in beast form, snapped again at Vivienne, teeth nearly grazing one of her armored shoulders. It was then that Link saw the glee that spread across Vivienne's face as she flew up and plunged the dagger down.

The dagger hit its mark, stabbing hilt deep into Carus' wraithlike pelt. Zelda gave a shriek but it was nothing compared to the ferocity of Carus' howl. The sounds from the battle around them dimmed. A clash of light erupted from the contact, so bright that Link was momentarily blinded. The flash faded and Carus began to shrink. No… not shrink. She was being consumed. Her darkness was being absorbed by the knife.

Link and Zelda were both forced back from the backlash, wind slicing at their clothes. Forks of light zapped across the ground and Link had to bring an arm over his face to protect against the electrical charge.

Vivienne grinned widely, sadistically, as the dagger sucked in the Sheikah's essence. Smaller and smaller the shadow became, distorting and bubbling until there was nothing. Carus was gone. All that was left was a black smirch on the stone, and the wispy tendrils of darkness that swirled across the blade of the knife.

It hadn't even taken a second.

Link felt a heavy weight settle in his gut. He stared in bemused horror at the scene.

A cry rent the air, earthshattering and deranged. His heart could have imploded by that sound alone.

Zellandus staggered forward, drastically favoring his right leg as he pushed his body to move. His breaths were coarse as he shouted, "What have you done?! Carus! CARUS!"

Vivienne offered a smug smile and tucked the knife back into the sheath at her belt, thumbing the pommel with a gauntleted hand almost caressingly. The swirling darkness surrounding the blade seemed to pulse angrily in reaction.

"Give her back!" Zellandus snarled, trying to run forward despite his limp. He stumbled in the process, landing unceremoniously on his knees. He panted brusquely in exhaustion before lifting his head and glaring furious pale blue eyes at her. "I command you to give her back!"

Vivienne chuckled jubilantly at him and shook her head. "I am under only one person's authority and it is not yours. A little prince about to be executed holds no sway over someone of my station."

Link ground his teeth at her tone. She could bring an emperor to his knees by her condescension alone.

"What have you done to Carus?" said Zelda in a deceptively soft voice. She stood prone, weapons at her side, at ease. It was a misleading stance that was associated with the Sheikah. In battle every millisecond was vital. It took time for one to raise their weapons, however most were wont to underestimate a Sheikah's speed. The Mortal Draw hadn't originated from pure experimentation, after all.

Vivienne's amused gaze alighted on Zelda and she tapped the pommel of the knife with a thick leather-wrapped finger. "You want to know? Do you really? I have imprisoned her. Unfortunately we haven't found a method to completely exterminate the Sheikah parasites. Hmmhmm, _yet_. All in good time."

"Release her!" shot Zellandus, trying to get up before emitting a cry as he landed hard on his injured leg.

"Zellan!"

Zelda was instantly at her brother's side, tucking her daggers away in their holsters on her back as she hovered worriedly over him. Link cautiously approached them walking backwards, eyes trained on the smirking redhead. He dug in his heels, Courage thrumming, awaiting for the second he called upon it.

Not yet. Not until he knew for certain that he would need it.

"Zellandus, this is doing nothing but aggravating your wounds," hissed Zelda, pushing him back down when he stubbornly attempted to get up again.

Vivienne gave a saccharine smile. "Yes, dear prince. Listen to her. We would not want you dying too soon. There are many of whom you've slighted who would love to have their fun with the Prince of Hyrule. I would simply hate to have to kill you beforehand-" She suddenly hissed and snapped her head to the side. A cut had appeared on her cheek, oozing blood. Link took a quick glance to the side to see Zelda's hand still poised in throwing position, two more needles at the ready between her fingers. It had been a warning throw. They weren't strong enough to pierce the skull from such a long range, and Vivienne's neck was mostly covered by her armor, otherwise Zelda would have aimed for that.

"You will not touch him!" Zelda intoned in a threateningly low voice.

Vivienne wiped the blood off her cheek with the leather pad of her thumb and chuckled. "Oh, but haven't I already? See the wound on his leg?"

"Nothing a red potion cannot fix."

"You think?" continued Vivienne merrily. "That wound happens to be a fey wound. It cannot be healed by ordinary means, magical or otherwise." She held out her sword in front of her, scrutinizing its sheen before her eyes darted to meet hers. "This you see is not an ordinary blade but what is known as a rabid sword. A living weapon. The soul of the blade awakened by years of feasting on blood while wielded with less than noble purposes. It has chosen me as its mistress now, temporary as that arrangement may be. For every contact it makes with flesh its archaic powers seeps into the body and will eat away at all magic that comes in contact with the wound. Your little prince has no choice but to heal naturally."

Zelda frowned and turned away from her then reached into her pouch, rifling for her potions.

"Oh?" spoke Vivienne, taking a step closer, to which Link reacted by drawing his blade back, arm muscles tensing to strike if she dared to come in range. "Too accustomed to healing yourselves in a snap? It's horrible to think what would become of all you privileged Hyruleans if those amenities were taken away."

There was something in the way her eyes flickered with glee that he didn't like. Zelda's hand paused in its rummaging and she stared absently at the ground.

Link slid a step forward and hissed, "Zelda, give him the potion. She's trying to trick us. Heal him, Zelda."

Zellandus grunted, a sound coaxed from pain and agreement. "He's right. That flaming harpy's is trying to pull one over us. Tongue's all coated in silver. Nasty feature, eh."

Brows furrowing, Zelda ransacked her pouch and withdrew the bottle, uncorking it before thrusting it at Zellandus. The prince took the potion and, glaring through his sweat-matted frond of hair at Vivienne, downed it in one toss.

They waited for that split second it would take for bone and flesh to mend, skin knitting itself back together as his injuries disappeared. Link was rather amazed that the prince didn't bolt to his feet right then.

But then Zellandus dropped the bottle with a hiss and clutched at his abdomen. Zelda hurriedly caught him as his frame swayed to the side, eyes widened in fear.

"Zellandus, what's wrong?" she called, frantically running a hand over his vitals, fingertips glowing lightly with magic as she scanned him. "Zellan?"

Link could hear the growing panic in her voice as readily as he felt it rise up within himself. He shot his head toward Vivienne and witnessed a chiding smirk spread over her features. She shook her head, tisking, red curls bouncing with the motion.

"Zelda…" said Zellandus, in a painful groan. "Make her give back Carus for me." His head was bowed, one hand straining against the stark white stone, the other still gripping his stomach as he bent over. The sounds he was making indicated that he was holding back the urge to vomit. "When we were young, you always took charge when I was too helpless to do anything. Do this for me now."

One thing was apparent. He hadn't healed. If anything, the potion had only made it worse. Vivienne was right. Some power was causing it to reject any assistance.

Zellandus collapsed on himself and Zelda helped him to lie on the ground. She then shot to her feet, rounding on the Augurer. "You."

It was on rare instances that he'd ever seen her looking so wrathful. Ordinarily she was the silent killer. Her emotions concealed deep within her, composure unaffected as she engaged in battle. Only ever for the protection of others did she rile up like this.

"And here I was being honest, tut tut," responded Vivienne as daintily as if they were arguing over a simple matter at a garden party. "No one appreciates good candor these days."

"Zelda, please," hissed Zellandus through his whimpers of pain. "Get Carus back for me!"

"Lie still, Zellandus."

Link saw her make the motions of erecting a protective shield around him. She fortified it with multiple layers and Link felt reassured that at least Zellandus would be safe.

Vivienne's eyes danced in thrill. "Just the one Sheikah, hon?"

They all looked up. Vivienne's hand was achingly slow as she pulled aside her flowing cape, revealing a line of knives belted at her waist. Many of them bore that same black aura radiating from the hilt. Link' insides sank with realization.

Vivienne quirked her full red lips. "Eight Sheikah bound to shadow. And I only need two more to complete my set."

"Impa, stay down," urged Zelda.

Link agreed with her and gave the same orders to Laval. If there was nothing for the Augurer to strike, then she wouldn't be able to trap them.

_**If it comes to it I will take form. I am assigned to protect you. No matter what may occur to me, that is my duty and I will not waver from it.**_

"And I will not see you captured," hissed Link to Laval. Ultimately he had no control over the Sheikah, but his partner had a good track record so far of listening to his requests. Hopefully he'd obey him now.

"Shall we get on with it then?" called Vivienne casually from across the terrace. "I'm not one for talk during battle. Usually I just go straight for the kill. It's more efficient, you see. No time wasted at all. But I suppose dear Reth must have rubbed off on me." She pulled her sword back, the dark sheen of the blade catching the light and illuminating the still wet blood that ran up and down its flank. "You wanted a battle with the Augurer. Well here I am!"

And she vaulted. She cleared the terrace in two quick bounds, sword raising high and Link was quick to deflect a pulsating burst of black energy with his shield. Had he the Mirror Shield, he mused, he would have been able to reflect the magic back at her.

In the wake of the blast, Vivienne came at them.

Zellandus cried out in shock as Link clashed his sword against Vivienne's. The muscles of his biceps screamed at the pressure, stunning him with the pure rawness of her strength. If he did not know better, he'd say it was Ganondorf himself, fighting through Vivienne as his host. Link's arms, forge and battle-hardened as they were, shook with exertion, the metal of their blades screeching against one another.

He saw a movement from the right as Zelda came in aiming for Vivienne's midriff where the leather fasteners held her armor together. Vivienne noticed her too and pulled back, wheeling her massive sword overhead as she maneuvered away.

"I think not," she exclaimed. "If you want your darling Sheikahs back, you must earn them by prying them from my decaying body."

Zelda hadn't been going for the armor, Link realized. She'd been aiming for the belt at the Augurer's waist, and the knives sheathed there.

"How did you know there were eight Sheikah?" demanded Zelda, skidding back, the tips of her double daggers lighting up with her light energy. They trailed light whenever she slashed them through the air. "Everyone is deceived into thinking there are far more of them left. Only a select few know their real numbers."

Dashing in, Zelda slashed her daggers before her, crossing her arms then spreading them out, hitting Vivienne's quickly raised shield with each jab and slice. Vivienne's sword swung out and missed grazing Zelda's side by inches as she spun away.

"Eight cursed to shadow," said Vivienne, now fending off Link, who with the disguised Master Sword's longer reach, didn't have to worry as much about evasion. "And one in possession of a mortal form. But that one will be dealt with in time."

He was struck away and rolled backwards to cushion his fall before springing up. He could have sworn the Master Sword had keened that time. He briefly considered Vivienne's weapon, its menacing size giving him an odd feeling of doubt.

He paced to the left, slowly circling the Augurer, keeping well out of range. "You seem to know a great many things," he said contemplatively as he sized her up with new insight. "You knew our numbers, where our troops would be stationed, and how best to overcome them. You knew of the spells placed on the gates and how to bring them down."

"I see," stated Zelda from the opposite side, where she too began circling their adversary. "You were aware of our strategy from the very beginning and had planned to counter it. The beasts were just the distraction. Furthermore, you knew we were seeking you out."

Vivienne eyed them both through uninterested brown eyes, lashes lowered in feigned nonchalance. She allowed them their wolf-like prowling and smiled. "Presumptuous."

"That's why you came here," Link continued. "Instead of leading the charge you simply provided the means of entry for your troops then came straight here, to the perfect battleground."

"You were waiting for us," said Zelda, with growing assuredness. "Because your aim was similar to ours. To cleave the head and finish the battle as quickly as possible, and to eliminate any potential resistance you'd have once you claimed Hyrule."

"Possible," said Vivienne, inclining her head.

But Link wasn't done. He caught Zelda's eyes and detected that they were on exactly the same wavelength. "The Anathema are no concern to you. They never had been, have they? Nor are the council and the high nobles, not even Zellandus. If he were to live and start a rebellion after you hypothetically take over, he'd be no more than a prick to yours and Xerthos' side. You fear _us_. Your concern is Zelda and I. Zellandus was your bait, but we were your targets. Which means, you know even more than you let on."

"Clever little male," retorted Vivienne, amused as she swayed her head to keep track of them both. Two wolves against a towering bear.

The cries of continuing battle rang all around them, yet in their remote area it was as if they were the sole players on the battlefield. And Vivienne appeared to be in no hurry to deal with them. Biding her time as if savoring a long tantalizing meal.

"So that's it. That's how you discovered we were using the Sheikah as a connection between the divisions," said Zellandus abruptly. Link glanced at him from the corner of his eye to see him wobbling to his feet, frowning as he hit Zelda's barrier, hand splayed flat against it.

"Laval," hissed Link.

Laval's shadow shot from him over to the prince. His loyalty to Link may be strong, but his loyalty to the royal family was stronger. He didn't know what amount of protection his companion could provide without taking form, but his mere presence accompanying the prince gave Link reassurance.

Zellandus snarled. "Someone told you! Someone who knew of all our plans handed them over to you. Tell me, who is the traitor?!"

"And how do you know this for certain?" responded Vivienne with a trill. "I may have just happened to be Sheikah hunting."

"Don't play me for a fool!" the prince snarled, maintaining a shaky grip on his weapon, his other hand supporting himself against the barrier. It was apparent his wound was taxing him. He could barely stand. "You would not have bothered with them so soon into the attack if you didn't know they were this crucial. Link's right. You must have known what our strategy was from the start. I wouldn't put it past your loathsome mind to be informed of every single unit we had to deploy. Now tell me, who gave you this knowledge!? Only a few knew of the precise battle plans. Who is the turncoat?"

"Who do you think the turncoat is?" responded Vivienne simply.

A beat of silence passed whereupon all were tense. Vivienne eyed them like a hungry wildcat preparing to devour them, while they all watched her warily.

"Dasril," muttered Zelda in barely a whisper.

Link had to concur. Who else could it be? "It had to have been him," he said. "He was involved in all the meetings and that would explain his disappearance. He's returned to his master," he spat in digust.

"That slimy serpentine little snit," spewed Zellandus, scowling as his throbbing leg forced him back down. "I knew I should have had him executed. Not tying up loose ends, that's what it is."

Link stole a glance at Zelda to find her expression had turned a frigid cold and her eyes had taken on a blank sheen. She pursed her bottom lip and steadied her daggers.

His heart pounded for her distress. He'd never recalled hating someone as much as he loathed Dasril. The traitorous bastard was right up there alongside Ganondorf, yet Zelda had considered him a friend, and a close one at that. She'd lived over two years together with him, something that still grated on him to no end, and had been betrayed by him and made reparations with him. To her Dasril was a precious addition to her life, despite what atrocities he'd committed against her. Link would never understand it, but even though she hadn't once spoken it out loud, somehow he knew that Zelda had forgiven the man for all that he had done. She had forgiven him, and now he'd thrown her forgiveness back in her face.

Silently, Link vowed that the next time he saw Dasril there'd be no hesitation, and there'd be no Zellandus demanding him to stand down.

"Such elaborate deductions you've made. I applaud you on your accuracy, but there is one slight misapprehension you lot are all dallying under," said Vivienne, idly twirling her blade. "There will only be one definite kill today. Your prince may or may not live depending on my fancy, but you, great hero have no alternative but to die."

Link's gaze flickered to Zelda and Vivienne anticipated the question flowing through his mind.

"Ah, of course I've no intention of doing away with her," Vivienne chuckled, delighted at the turn of the conversation. "You see, dear Dasril wasn't very happy with the outcome of the punishment you gave him, so he came running back to us. He never quite got what he wanted in the end, so we have orders. Princess Zelda is to remain intact and untouched so that we can return her to him. A small gift for the traitor."

Zellandus made a sound of repulse in the back of his throat while Zelda remained stone silent. Link felt the heat of Courage once again flooding his being, desperately urging him to use it.

"The lengths that sick man will go to astounds me," sneered Link, dipping his head, ears erect. "For a short while I've even been fooled into believing he was at least somewhat honorable."

"Men as self-serving as Dasril do tend to fool us," replied Vivienne, keeping her eye on Link who had stopped circling her to stand in front of her. "Anything else you've concluded and feel the need to divulge?"

"Just one thing," spoke Link harshly, sliding into a stance. "You're no human."

On a silent signal Link and Zelda attacked as one. With her opponents coming at her from both flanks, Vivienne faced a serious challenge. She turned to the side, aiming her sword at Link while protected her right with her shield. Weapons clashed and sparks flew, but the strike was only meant to temporarily thwart them before the real bout came.

"And what ridiculous assumptions have drawn you to deduce that?" replied Vivienne, smoothly evading his swing. "Too overwhelming for you for me to be a mere mortal?"

"No. You're mortal alright," Link grunted as he parried her slice and they exchanged blows. "It's because," said Link, ducking under her swipe and vaulting in a backwards flip before she could crash her shield into his face. "You're Gerudo."

Vivienne revealed no shock at his denouncement, rather she flashed a lustrous smile at him.

"Again presumptuous," she stated, eyeing him with new found interest. "But correct. I admit, I don't like you. Men with minds that can actually think turn out to be too headstrong than what's good for them. How the bloody did you ever figure that out?"

They fought as Link replied, "for one, you called me 'male'. Only the Gerudo refer to us by that word. Anyone else would have said 'man'. And second, your fighting style. It resembles the form of an Iron Knuckle, your elite warriors. Only a woman who is Gerudo can bear the weight of that heavy armor without resorting to magic, and only a Gerudo's strength can equal and oftentimes surpass that of Hylian men."

"I'm not fond of your wit," said Vivienne with some consternation. "Although I do admire it. But then, how would you account for my features? My skin tone is hardly tan, wouldn't you say?"

"Glamor?" inquired Link, frowning and bending down under the swish of her blade. If not for their perilous exchange they could have been having a normal conversation.

Vivienne smirked solemnly. "No, actually. It was an unfortunate circumstance of my birth. It led to this ghastly defect, but it has proven quite useful," she went on, smiling gleefully with ruby red lips. "Before you no one has ever suspected my heritage. I can wander where I will and not be accosted by those desiring to earn themselves a Gerudo head."

A gruesome practice that many lowlife cutthroats engaged in. To cut off a Gerudo's head and steal the opal jewel on their brow would gain anyone instant notoriety, especially among the reprobates. It didn't matter that it was murder and illegal, the infamy followed them anyways. It was no easy endeavor, bringing down a Gerudo. Not that there were many sightings of them in Hyrule these days. Beyond Ganondorf, Link hadn't expected to see one at all in this life.

"Not that I fear anyone who would challenge me," exclaimed Vivienne, diverting Zelda's daggers with an upward sweep of her shield. "I have enough poor sods trailing after me already."

Link grit his teeth. And Vrel was one of those sods. The fool.

"But I am no mere Gerudo," Vivienne continued, eyes flashing in delight. She let loose a scythe of black magic.

Zelda took a leap straight up, her cape propelling her into the air while Link simply rolled beneath the attack, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck rise as the scythe whooshed overhead.

Alighting deftly, Zelda held her daggers at guard. "Queen of the Gerudo?"

"That's right." Vivienne laughed. "An undefeated queen."

She charged and the fight waged on, the Augurer against two of the Goddesses' chosen.

Gerudo society was different from Hyruleans. Unlike Hyrulean royalty, whose status was based on lineage, when they hadn't a king to follow the Gerudo's matriarch was determined by the Blood Challenge that took place every decade whereupon the current queen would duel against the strongest of her warriors in contention for the crown. Whomever won would inherit the throne and be titled Queen of the Gerudo. It was a brutal display of power and dominance. Link had only attend one Blood Challenge and had no desire to do so ever again if he could help it.

Link constantly felt the thrum of his Triforce now, but until he was certain that he couldn't defeat Vivienne without it, he wouldn't risk using it.

Vivienne fought well, but he and Zelda fought better. Despite his worries, his heart lightened at the notion. How he'd missed battling alongside her. It had been so long, yet undeniably they knew each other perfectly when it came to combat.

In that instant Zelda jabbed both daggers at Vivienne's flank, this time aiming properly for the straps. Vivienne was forced to guard her right, leaving an opening for Link to come in at her left, going for her head, the only part of her that wasn't protected.

He grinned and even though his attempt was thwarted as Vivienne kicked out her leg, banging it hard against his thigh and throwing him off course, his smile still remained.

Had Ganondorf really thought he stood a chance against both him and Zelda at once? Did Vivienne, this Augurer warlord and disguised Gerudo, and Xerthos, with his revived demonic powers, really think they stood a chance now? But back then they'd been prepared. The Master Sword had shone with radiance while here it had dulled, not yet fully awakened from its sleep. And Xerthos _was_ a demon. Whatever advantage he and Zelda possessed, he couldn't underestimate any enemy of his again. It's what got her killed.

"Zelda!" a muffled voice shouted in warning across the terrace, just in time to spur Zelda into leaning back as the tip of Vivienne's blade sliced in a clear streak across her throat in a sneak attack. It caught on her cloak and tore down the front.

Link felt his heart thud when blood welled up, seeping into her cape and dribbling down the arch of her neck.

Zelda went on as if the wound was nonexistent, unfeeling as she came at Vivienne with poise. Vivienne raised an eyebrow and countered.

"Don't fancy coming along quietly do you?"

"Don't count your life on it," shot Zelda before snapping her wrists forth and hooking the tip of her daggers on Vivienne's gauntlet. The straps were severed and the gauntlet was flung off, dangling by a thin strip. Vivienne cleared the vicinity in a few long strides back.

"I see you don't warp like DeSange did during a fight," called Link as he went in for a killing strike to the back of Vivienne's head. The Augurer cast his blade aside with her own, both of them resonating as they met.

"A cowardly practice, exercised when one is not confident in their own capabilities," replied Vivienne evenly, shoving him back then pulling the rest of her gauntlet off and flinging it to Zellandus' corner where it rebounded off the barrier Zelda had put up. "And I am no coward, but nor am I a fool."

A flash of black magic tore across the terrace and the ground collapsed beneath his feet.

* * *

><p>As soon as she felt the stone foundation sinking, Zelda shot to the air, but she could not stay afloat for long. Below her the ground receded, tremors breaking apart their battlefield as it crumbled apart.<p>

Zellandus slammed against the wall of her shield while Link lost his footing and hit hard against the stone, landing on his hip. Vivienne laughed and turned away, leisurely ambling toward the castle entrance. A wave of her hand caused the glass doors to shatter, the wood of the frame splintering. Rubble crashed down and a beam broke from its perch, crunching into the ground behind her as she disappeared through the door.

Zelda flew to Zellandus, who cried out at the tussling his injured leg was receiving. She alighted next to him and removed her barrier. Tucking her daggers away in their holsters on her back, she leaned down and hefted her brother's arm over her shoulder.

"Laval, take him to safety," she called.

_**There is no safety.**_

Glancing around Zelda confirmed that he was right. Everywhere soldiers, both Hyrulean and the black-armored invaders, were dying. Beasts charged through the courtyard. The smell of burnt flesh emanated from the gatehouse where hot scalding oil had been poured on a group of the creatures before the Augurer had arrived and destroyed that part of the wall.

Her only choice was to send Zellandus to one of the warp points. Where were her council? Where was somebody who could help him?

"The grave site, there's a Goddess Mark on one of the tombs," she plead, agonizing over ever whimper her brother let out. "Activate it."

Clawed hands formed from the shadows and took hold of the prince. Zellandus was sweating profusely now, clutching at his stomach and writhing from pain. The potion had done more harm than good. How had she never heard of a fey wound before?

After assuring that Laval had a firm hold on Zellandus and that he'd make it away safely with him, she turned to Link, only he was gone. The ground had stopped trembling and Link was nowhere to be seen.

Her gaze panned toward the gash in the wall where the doors to the terrace had once stood. Quickly, she gathered her daggers to her hands and followed through.

The east terrace was connected to the dining room. Zelda silently appraised her surroundings, taking in the stellar placement of the décor, how the chairs were tucked neatly beneath the table, dishes perfectly placed on the surface from when the servants had prepared for the morning meal before they'd been ordered to evacuate.

An empty cart had toppled over near the door and Zelda approached it warily then headed down the corridor. She heard no sound but the muted rage of combat going on outside. She slithered into an alcove when footsteps ran along the next corridor over. Heavy and clanging, not the light tapping of leather boots that she was keenly listening for.

She stealthily carried on until she came to one of the grand halls where a staircase led up to a second level mezzanine. Vivienne stood at the top, her back toward her. On the opposite end at the bottom of the staircase was Link, sword drawn and lips pulled back in distaste.

Vivienne's hair had come loose, and the way she stood, unmoving and calculative, was so reminiscent of Ganondorf that it caused something heavy to pitch inside of her.

Not Ganondorf, Zelda reminded herself. Out of relief or frustration, she didn't know.

She hadn't realized until now how comforted she'd been by the false belief that the Augurer was their dreaded enemy. Just knowing he was alive as well, where he stood in the placement of the Goddesses scheme, had filled her with familiarity. And now they were back to square one. Where was Ganondorf? Was there even a Ganondorf in this era, or perhaps things were more straightforward than she'd permitted herself to believe. Xerthos had to be the reason that she and Link were reincarnated once more. A new evil of demonic nature, just like the Great Fairy had told them.

"Deary me," Vivienne's voice echoed in the empty chamber and languidly she turned around to peer down at them. "I haven't even told you my name. My real name."

Zelda hurried over to Link, who cast her a quick look of appraisal before tightening his grip on his sword.

Zelda felt the weight of his brief scrutiny and determinedly ignored the stinging wound at her throat, blood smeared all over her neck and collar bone. She would not be a burden to him now. Afterwards she'd patch herself up. The wound wasn't fatal. Vivienne's sword hadn't pierced further than the muscle tissue. Although she wasn't too predisposed to the idea of bearing a fey wound, and even less to having to let it heal naturally.

Vivienne's molten brown eyes shimmered in the dull light of the few lit chandeliers. "I am… Nabooru."

Her free arm shot forth and a black whip-like limb extended from her hand, quick as lightning, zooming toward them. It caught Link by the collar and dragged him up. The castle shuddered and an unseen force shoved Zelda to the floor. A creak sounded and she rolled to the side just as a chunk of masonry fell down next to her.

Frantically she lifted to her elbows, eyes widening when she saw Link carried toward the Augurer like an offering. The black limb had grown fingers and were coiling around his neck. Link grasped at them, forced to drop his sword as his grip grew weakened.

Zelda's heart pounded.

No! He had to have the Master Sword. He couldn't fight without it!

The back of her hand burned and she realized it was in reaction to his. Link's Triforce was blazing so brightly she couldn't even see his left hand as he tore at the limb. She could tell the instant he drew on Courage's power. A gold hue surrounded his body, his eyes became a deeper swirl of blue, and Wisdom on her right hand pulsated in accord with its partner.

Yet somehow he could not break free.

Zelda waited with growing anxiety for him to tear away, for him to bear down on Vivienne with all his might.

Nabooru… Was it just coincidence, or was there some deeper purpose for that being her name? How popular was the name Nabooru in Gerudo societies anyways? And what if… but no. Only she, Link and Ganondorf were strung in the cycle of reincarnation. It was impossible.

The Augurer pinched her elegant brow as she gazed up at her captive inquisitively. "A boy. Always a boy. To defeat the great King of Darkness with such a weak body…" She scoffed and yanked him even closer, seemingly ignorant in the way he glowed or of the drastic increase of magical force around him.

Link had stopped struggling, glaring at her with blatant hatred. The next instant he wrenched out of her grip. Vivienne's eyes widened as he shredded the black limb with his bare hands. Link aimed a coiled fist at her face and Vivienne instinctively brought her hand up to catch it. A black cloud seeped out of her palm at the contact and Link screamed.

Soon he and Vivienne were engulfed in the darkness.

Zelda darted to her feet, nearly tripping over herself when one of her ankles twisted in her haste.

"Link!"

His screaming continued before it suddenly stopped and then he came shooting out of the miasma. He was flung down the flight of stairs and landed hard, rolling on the debris covered parquet fifteen feet from her.

Zelda hastened over to him, biting her bottom lip when her ankle protested against the movement. She turned his face toward her to find him unconscious, his breathing slow and labored. Link was unresponsive, but still alive. A quick observation showed her he bore no injury other than a few scrapes and cuts he'd endured from the fighting and the few gashes from where he'd met with Vivienne's sword. Deep purple bruising was slowly blossoming on his throat and she touched the skin gently with her fingertips.

The clicking echo of boots tapping stone rang in her ears. The miasma dissipated and Vivienne swiped her hair back, looking out of sorts but no worse for wear.

"That's two down for the count, and one to go," Vivienne spoke calmly. Blinking long lustrous eyelashes, she inclined her head as she regarded her. "What will you do now, hon? Will you stay to die with your brother and beloved, or will you come willingly to become Dasril's plaything?"

"You bear your name no justice," spoke Zelda calmly, getting up, drifting her weight to her uninjured side. "Nabooru…"

A name. Zelda brought himself back to focus, brow scrunching. Just a name. It didn't mean anything. And it definitely didn't bother her that this bearer of that name was fighting against her rather than alongside.

It was left to her now. Whatever had happened between Vivienne and Link while her vision had been obscured, it had sapped his energy.

One thought drove Zelda onward, past the pain and doubts. They could end this all before it had begun if they killed the Augurer and Xerthos. They could end this without the need for further bloodshed. It was all for her people. All for Link and herself. If the Goddesses could grant them just one lifetime without her land been devastated by darkness…

"Your attitude appalls me," called Vivienne down to her, chin jutting in the air imperiously. "Don't you know that a princess must always kneel before a queen."

Instead of answering, Zelda brought her daggers in front of her and connected them at the handles. She inserted one into a catch and twisted it until it clicked in place and became a double-bladed sword.

"Your title holds no sway here," hissed Zelda, drawing her weapon back, sharp edge of the blade on guard before her.

"But it does," Vivienne chimed with vivid exuberance. "Don't you see, darling? Your weak soldiers are dropping by the dozen. Did you honestly think they'd stand a chance? And you've had the foolishness to send your strongest knights away. I'll have no choice but to hunt them down now. You've only managed to prolong their lives. By decree, anyone who opposes my lord's rule is to die. But better to perish than to become a trinket, like you will be."

"Dasril will never have me!" she shouted, voice hoarse.

"It would break his heart to hear you say that," Vivienne simpered in mocking compassion. "The poor fool." Her full lips then parted in a snarl. She flung out her hand. "If you will not bow then I shall have to force you down!"

Impa burst from the shadows with a roar. In a flash she'd pounced on Vivienne and knocked her to the ground. Vivienne stared in bemusement at the shadow woman, before a dreadful gleam stole across her eyes and she reached for a long knife.

"No! Impa, stop!" Zelda cried out. Yet she stayed where she was. If she went to help Impa, Link would be left vulnerable for anyone to come across and finish him off. But if she didn't go then Impa…

The knife missed inches from shadow Impa's form. Vivienne got up and aimed once more, but Impa now knew what those knives could do so she avoided her every stroke, staying well back.

Impa darted in and caught Vivienne's forearm with the sharp end of her blade as Vivienne's knife nicked her hand and some of her life force was leached from her.

"Impa!" She couldn't allow her to get caught! Not like Carus and the others!

Zelda started forward but then her arm was caught by something firm and tense and she was flung back.

She skidded on the floor and looked up to see a tall figure loom above her. James.

She stared at him wordlessly then winced as he grabbed her arm and yanked her up. He strode over to Link and lugged him over his shoulder.

Zelda instantly caught on and silently shook her head.

"Lady Zelda, we have to leave," said James, hobbling to the exit, hunched from exhaustion. "Lady Zelda!"

"I can't!" she cried. If she hadn't been wounded by Vivienne's blade she'd be able to drink a potion and heal herself so she could fight again. But she couldn't risk a reaction like Zellandus had. She'd only imperil herself and Link.

"Don't make me carry you too," James shouted. By the looks of him, weary and tired, he wouldn't be able to stand under both their weights.

"But Impa-!"

"There's no time!" He growled and leveled a hard stare at her. "Listen to me. I saw the prince. I promised him I'd get you out. We've lost…"

Zelda restrained a sob and limped over to the wall, bracing herself as she slowing followed it towards the door.

A shrill cry rang out from behind her and she made the mistake of turning back.

"No. IMPA!"

Impa's form dwindled under the blade of the knife protruding from her arm. James' breath hitched while Zelda stared on in mute horror. Another aura coated Vivienne, ugly and tar-like. Zelda hadn't sensed it before, but now it appeared stark in the torch light.

Demon…

James shoved her against the wall. Her head hit stone and Zelda blinked, dazed when the ground disappeared. Another tremor? But then she realized James was lifting her. The next instant she was falling as he pushed her out the window onto the cold blood-coated battlefield.

* * *

><p>His home at the base of Snowpeak had been completely barren. The furniture had been covered with sheets of white, his entire staff gone and with them the few horses that had been hitched in the stables and his only means of quick transportation back to Castle Town.<p>

As soon as he'd landed in his study, cold and bleak without that constant steady fire in the hearth, Dasril had dashed through the house, finding whatever sort of nourishment he could before barreling out the door.

The winds that had buffeted his face were not as icy as they'd been a few weeks ago. He'd become numb to the cold by the time he'd left the mountain range and come across the nearest village. From there he'd taken a horse and had journeyed without rest to the castle.

His mind formulated every horrible scenario he might come across. Visions of Zelda prone and dead, body bent at awkward angles, her alive but wrapped in chains and forced to kneel before Lord Xerthos, and most troublesome, the horror displayed through her eyes as she was told the lie about his part to play in Hyrule's collapse. Xerthos would be just the kind of sick man who would do such a thing, not because he enjoyed it as Reth would, but because he could.

The dawn streaked red against the sky when he crested the last hill. Far in the distance he saw Castle Town. Across the field, he saw it burning.

The reigns went limp in his hands as Dasril stared with watery eyes at the blazing landscape.

A hollow voice made him jerk as his horse pranced in a fearful circle.

"I knew you'd come," said Lord Xerthos from where he'd suddenly appeared on the rise beside him.

Dasril steadied his steed and drew his fire to his fingertips despite knowing how useless it would be against the demon.

"We shall go about this as if your betrayal has never happened," Xerthos went on, soothing the atmosphere with his calm demeanor. "I have won. There is nothing anyone can do about it. Despite your betrayal you're prior services have instigated the advancement of our plans, and here we are, goal achieved."

He froze beneath the demon's vapid gaze. His fire spluttered in utter anguish.

"I grant you immunity," Xerthos went on, apathetic to the torment Dasril felt. "Soon I shall release Reth to kill whomever he so wishes. Sixty lashes he has endured for his disobedience, and so he is bound by sixty deaths. Until I lift the restraint I placed on him, he will be able to kill no more. He didn't react well when I revealed that fact to him. You would have handled him better. You always had a way of calming his moods. But he will not be able to touch you. No one will. Live your life as you want. I do not care."

The fire in his core flared as he growled, "I will never condone your rule."

Xerthos brushed him off and tilted his head to watch the scene. "Rebel, whine and plead all you want. Try to kill me yourself. Raise an army to overthrow me. I do not care. There is nothing you can do against me now. There is nothing anyone can do. This is only a step in our advancement. There's no stopping it now."

With a swirl of wind Xerthos vanished and Dasril launched a tongue of flame at the spot he'd been standing out of spite.

His horse reared in terror and instantly he calmed it down.

He kicked it into a run, bolting for the city.

It wasn't over yet. For all his grand speech, Xerthos was wrong. He didn't know about the legend of the Triforce. He didn't know the true extent of the power the Hero of Legends was capable of.

It was fleeting, Link might already be dead, but it was Hyrule's last chance. If he could get to Link and get him away from Hyrule, from all of this, Link would be given the chance he needed to build his power and come back stronger.

In order to save Zelda, he'd have to save Link.

* * *

><p>With one last burst of strength Zelda heaved Link past the threshold of the graveyard. It was here that the deceased knights were buried, the ones whose bodies weren't claimed by their houses to be lain to rest in their family tombs. And it was at the end of the graveyard where lay the King's Hall, the resting place for the dead royalty of Hyrule.<p>

Rather than make her way to the tomb of her forefathers, Zelda rested for a bit against the stone, making certain both she and Link were concealed by the shrubbery as she caught her breath. After a short respite, she took a deep breath and began lugging Link to the tombstone two rows down, second from the right.

Her right arm had gone numb from the arrow shaft protruding from her triceps and she couldn't move her fingers, so she had to rely on her left to cling to Link as she dragged him. If only he'd wake up. She had tried slapping his face, but nothing worked. Whatever Vivienne had done to him, whatever had happened back there when he'd used his Triforce, it had put him in a comatose state that made fear claw at her.

_Please be alright, Link._

After she had been hauled out the window, James had heaved Link out. She had cushioned his fall, but the result had stolen all the oxygen from her lungs. James hadn't followed. The sound of fighting had proceeded after the event, and Zelda had been too bone-weary and sore to try to climb back up and help out. Impa was gone, and now there was Link to worry about.

Tears clouding her vision, she'd then started to half carry, half drag him to the grave site where she'd sent Laval with Zellandus. They needed to regroup in a safe environment, rethink their strategy. Apple had been right, there was no preventing the darkness. They'd lost.

It had been dangerous and difficult, avoiding the battle that had ensued around them. The castle was swarming with the foreign black-armored soldiers and the beasts of the Augurer's hordes. She'd had to deplete the last quarter of her mana reserves fending off the ones who had come upon them. She only had a fraction left, but it was enough to send them both away.

Zelda dropped Link when she reached the designated tombstone and collapsed, panting harshly, again wishing for one of her potions but knowing better than to drink it, not with the fey wound on her neck.

The tombstone was only a few hand spans away, close enough for her to stretch out an arm and touch. The warping magic had faded after being activated so many times, but at this close of a proximity to it she was positive it would still work.

She grabbed a firm hold onto Link and reached out a hand then hesitated.

Memories whirled in her mind. Eras long gone where she'd lost her home, her lands again and again in a constant cycle of repetition. Sometimes she'd be forced to flee and go into hiding, others she was kept as a prisoner, always reliant on another to free her and her people. It was never within her power save her country on her own. But he was there for her each time. Her Link. And they'd always won in the end.

This time would be no different.

She licked her bottom lip, tasting the tang of blood. The guilt of once more abandoning her people became overwhelming, but she shoved it down. She had to do this.

Very well, she would acknowledge her fall, but that didn't mean they were finished.

She looked at Link's pale face and gripped him tighter.

As long as Link, her Hero, lived, Hyrule wouldn't be without salvation for long.

It was with this comforting thought that she reached out and tapped the pale weathered stone of the grave and in a flash disappeared.

Even if she had to sacrifice herself, she would make sure he lived.

When the world reformed around her she was met with chaos.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: And only one person was able to put the pieces together and figure out that it was Vivienne. Clue one: she's never been seen alongside the Augurer. Clue two: Hangs out in the war camp. I even mention her polishing a gauntlet at one point, and she's always running around, teleporting to places on Xerthos' orders. Clue three: A small hint I revealed when I mentioned the Iron Knuckles actually being Gerudo. ****I did enjoy reading all of your guesses, and congrats to ThePredicate for getting it right *applauds* And about me potentially killing off Link or Zelda... Well I do intend for this to have a happy ending, so we'll see how it goes.**

**Some notes:**

**-I've introduced a lot of my own ideas in this chapter (fey wound, rabid sword, etc), so bear with me. Also bear in mind that a lot of the things that happened this chapter are confusing and might not make sense at the moment. Just remember that it will all be revealed as the story progressed. You can make assumptions and criticize my choices in the meantime if you like. **

**-I know the Iron Knuckles in the games are slow, and wow do they deal heavy damage, but here I wanted to emphasize the different physical structures of the Gerudo. I picture the Gerudo like Amazonians. When I first heard of Amazonian warriors I imagined tall kickass muscly women who are stronger and more agile than normal people. Basically the Gerudo. Therefore the Gerudo's physiology would be completely different from the other races of Hyrule, so even though they might appear too small and slight for feats of strength, their superior muscle composition allows it. That does not mean they're undefeatable though. They're just a powerful warrior race.**

**-Also like I said last chapter, I'm working on creating a list of all the important characters mentioned so far. It's time consuming, and I'd rather be writing my stories, but I'll have it up on tumblr soon, and I'll try to add them as footnotes for each chapter too, as Camronius advised.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	36. Chapter 36

**Sorry for the long wait. December's a hectic month, and then there was Zelink Week, and for the past two weeks I've been stuck with the flu, and well it's been great and miserable ;P**

**Thank you, my reviewers: Guest (oct 23), Prometheus17, Fairy Proxi, whitworth5274, tetraforce theory, ATNF, ThePredicate, 11lol11, Death Waltz, Ancient . tree, Schniedragon88, Dreamicide, LaPepper, Guest(nov 16), ThisIsANiceName, Star 3, WiseGirl9859, Saumelon, and Animesempai!**

**Warning for foul language.**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 36<span>**

The Goddess Mark tore her through space. Everything became a flash of blackness until the moment it settled and her eyes opened to a world awash with dull illumination.

It was the noise that hit her first. Noise and the scent of metal and blood.

People were shouting, screaming, crying. The soil vibrated with the stampeding of hooves. The afternoon fog was pierced by the flaming eyes of hundreds of torches. People ran and those people were subsequently leashed by malignant figures mounted on horseback.

One of those figures rode up and tugged the reigns, his horse stomping its front hooves in place. He surveyed the area then spotted her.

Zelda watched in speechless horror as he turned his mount toward where she and Link resided next to a well pump and kicked its flanks, hands curling over a lethal looking rope.

She could barely crawl to her feet. There was no way she could stop his advance. The battle with the Augurer…Nabooru, Vivienne, whomever she was, had depleted her mana and drained her energy. They had faced her with their all but left with nothing to show for it but wounds they could not heal, and Link on the verge of death. Useless. It had all been useless.

But even as she acknowledged her current weaknesses, mind validating that everything in her reserves had been used up and left vacant, from some hidden corner of her being she still managed to pull a pinch of power and with a flick of her index and middle fingers she broke the horse's left ankle.

Horse and rider went down with a mixture of agonized whinnies and a surprised shout. Bones cracked and joints bent at awkward angles as the horse's momentum caused it to roll forward, landing on its rider and fracturing a number of his various limbs and ribs.

Zelda didn't stick around to find out if one of those bones had been his neck. Grabbing Link around the middle and forcing the screaming of abused muscles from her mind, she dragged him out of the open to a toppled over cart. Hunkering down against the wood, she allowed herself a brief shot at rest.

Litos was one of the border villages that was connected to the warp stones. A few leagues south of Lake Hylia, it was supposed to be a safe retreat for the people in Castle Town. The inhabitants of Litos had confirmed it as such and had agreed to host the refugees. If necessitated, they'd be able to escape Hyrule entirely to their neighboring countries, thereby evading the rising darkness.

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

Her ears rang with the cacophony of noise, and how she wished she could silence it. She held Link to her, shrinking further behind their concealment, as a gang of riders galloped past them. The action jostled the wound on her neck, reminding her how dire a condition they were both in. They did not have their Sheikah with them - oh Goddesses, Impa...Carus... They should have been more careful. Oh Goddesses, what had been done to them?!

Zelda had to thrust those depressing thoughts aside. She could grieve later. She had to figure out a way out of this first. It was a pity she'd lost Roc's Cape, her special means of speed and evasion. It took no mana to use and would have whisked them away as if they were little more than feathers on the wind. As they were at present they were rooted like dekus. She could not haul Link all the way out of Litus, not like this.

She stiffened when another set of footsteps sounded too close for comfort. Angling her head, Zelda peeked through a splintered slot in the base of the cart and saw two men jerking on a length of chord fastened around the wrists of another man who was stumbling after them. The bound man looked worse for wear, a gash decorated his right temple while a swell of bruising encircled the portion of his jaw around the right side of his mouth. He abruptly stopped and dug his heels in the ground, struggling with the rope. A punch to the gut quickly ceased his attempts to get away and by then he was shoved forward and they were all loss to sight.

Zelda leaned back against the cart, her left arm holding onto Link's tunic in a choking grip.

Those men, the ones who were leading the rope, they bore Dagan's sigil, the winged serpent coiled in an upward spiral. They were mercenaries.

But then who had hired them? She really hoped Solas Flannery wasn't among them. He was usually a lone mercenary but sometimes worked with larger groups if promised the right amount of coin. Encountering the Zora once and surviving had been difficult enough but now when he knew her by face and would go out of his way to come after her….

She needed to swiftly regain her strength and get out of there. Find someplace where she could hide for a few days and pray that Link would awaken by then. He was as limp as an infant and so still in her arms she might have thought him already dead if not for the shallow rise and fall of his chest. Even then, he was becoming hot to the touch.

His weight resting against her was heavy but they'd have to move soon. She could have wept looking at the broken arrow shaft in her right arm. She was severely disadvantaged and wondered if the Goddesses had been watching over them at all that day.

The sudden sound of screaming wrenched viciously at her heart. She bit her lip and quivered with restrained anger. She wanted nothing less than to dart out there and blast the mercenaries to the Dark Realm with her power. She wanted to chase off every last one.

This time the scream was a child calling for her father.

Zelda clutched Link tighter.

But she couldn't… She had to leave them. Link's life came first before anyone else's. First before her's. If he perished there'd be no hope. She would die for him, and she'd also, it seemed, let others die for him too.

Unconsciously her hand drifted down to wind around Link's finger only to find his hand clenched shut. Blinking Zelda probed and found something in his grip. It took some effort to pry the object out of his hand but eventually she held it up for scrutiny and discovered a small reed flute about as long as her hand.

She toyed with the little curiosity with care, taking in the fracture on one side where a crack had split the bottom apart and webbed all the way up to the second hole. Link had not possessed it before, had he?

Instead of contemplating it for much longer, she stowed it away in one of her pockets. This was neither the place nor time for it.

Zelda tensed her body and hauled to a crouched position. She had rested enough. They had to go now before they were inevitably caught. There was a building ten feet away that they could make it to. As long as they weren't seen on the way she could bribe the residents and they'd be able to stay low until she regained her mana. Then they'd book it out of the town.

They'd go north from there to Lake Hylia. Queen Helarra would help them. And after-

There was the stir of air and the shift of gravel.

Zelda whipped around and saw a fog-hazed form above her right before something hard came down on her head and everything turned black.

* * *

><p>Dasril strode through the town with heavy steps, exhaustion causing his feet to drag, cape swishing back and forth with weary quips as if it too was tired. The air was dense with dust and rubble, breathing was not a pleasant event. He kept an arm over his mouth and nose to block the filth in the air as much as the stink of bodies.<p>

His eyes searched among the carcasses. For what was supposed to be a simple battle against monsters, too many were lost. It was because of those black-armored soldiers. Xerthos' personal army? But then how had he raised it within such a short amount of time. Why had he not confided in him about it before his loyalties were brought to question?

Dasril shuffled back as a handful of those soldiers came storming past him. Not one turned to look at him, not a single one acknowledged him. He might have been invisible to their eyes. Too bad, because he was glaring daggers at each and every one of them. Willing them to give him any excuse to pick a fight. His fire burned within him. He was ready.

He arrived at the town square before the main gate of the castle. The fountain had toppled over and the stalls had been shattered, food and supplies lost. It was the tail end of winter though, so he wasn't overly worried about rationing.

The gate to the castle had been blasted open, an ugly black hole was burnt into one side, and the beam that had been keeping it shut had split in two.

Dasril strode in, frowning at the sudden influx of black armored soldiers. They were everywhere: roaming the ramparts, invading the halls, but most of them were gathering bodies, dead and alive to be brought to two places. The dead bodies they piled in the bailey where carts were ready to ship them off to the fields to be burned, most likely. Dasril followed the Hyrulean survivor being dragged within the castle structure itself.

The castle opened up to the Presence Chamber where Dasril found some of the survivors had been gathered. His breath fluttered as among them he saw General Shira, Lord James Farlow, a number of the ministers and other nobles. The captured soldiers would have been secured somewhere else until they could all be identified, but those here were the handsomer of the lot.

He approached Shira with feeble steps, hating how the eyes of the dark soldiers were watching him.

Immunity. He'd been granted immunity, and surely that was in effect right now.

"Commander," he said, looking over the woman.

She was position seated on the ground, her arms shackled in front of her, one of them bearing a nasty looking gash. She sat just as proudly as if she was standing, the only reason she wasn't doing the latter was because both of her legs had been broken, forcefully Dasril wouldn't doubt, to prevent her from escaping or rampaging. She had been stripped of her armor, anything remotely protective, and her weapons had been confiscated as well. No one in the chamber was armed, and they'd all been stripped as well.

Shira gave him an inquisitive eye and nodded, hiding an untold amount of pain with the simple gesture. "Dasril. Traitor looks good on you."

It was like a burning pike to his heart and he fought to smother it. "It wasn't my intent… I didn't…"

The commander simply waved him off stiffly. "Yes, I know. You weren't the one who gave away our plans. We figured that one out far too late." Shira inclined her head and glared a pain-filled stare across the room.

At the end of the Presence Chamber was a great mezzanine, and on top of that mezzanine were Xerthos, Vivienne, Lord Perrington, looking smug and self-important as usual, and lastly there was another man, some sort of knight by his standing. Dasril couldn't get a clear look at him but was startled when his name was spat out.

"Vaughan," hissed James from nearby, having eavesdropped on their conversation. "That's Vaughan." His shackles shifted as he clenched his hands in distaste.

"Vaughan," repeated Dasril, fire sweltering around his core. "One of the Anathema?"

"Anathema no longer," responded Shira. "I strip him of his rank and eject him from his highness' employment."

His highness? Which brought him back to why he was here. "Where is the Lady Zelda? And Link? Have you seen them?"

The commander looked away, teeth clenched and frowning. It was James who sighed and offered an answer.

"They got away. Well I assume they got away. I'll take some credit for assisting. The rest is up to them, but if they got captured I'll be monstrously irked."

He'd have to pray they'd made it then. At the rate they were carting out the dead bodies outside he'd have no hope looking through them. Although he made a note to scour the holdings of the captured soldiers as soon as possible.

"What's going to happen to you all?" asked Dasril. He could walk away without anyone having a say to the matter. But everyone else? His fellow lords and ladies who'd remained?

"That's what they're deciding at this very moment," exclaimed Shira. "Hyrule's entire fate is being determined as we speak."

Dasril frowned and looked up at where they stood at the mezzanine.

And what a bleak fate it had.

From the corner of his eye he caught sight of something buried in the rubble. It wavered for a second, revealing some sort of glamor had been cast upon it, before settling again.

Dasril left the group, walking a ways from where the captives were being held, and bent to inspect the object. It was curious how the black soldiers had missed this weapon to be confiscated as it was obviously a sword, a very ordinary looking one at that, but Dasril wasn't so sure…

Delicately he touched the tip of the pommel and started when pain seared through his fingers, like a burning more vicious than any fires he could conjure. The glamor flickered again and everything around him stopped.

Blue winged guard. Double-handed grip. Yellow gemstone.

It was the Master Sword!

But how had it gotten here? Where was its wielder?

The glamor flickered back in place and Dasril hurriedly tore the bottom strip of his shirt, wrapping it in a coil to use as a rope. He couldn't wield the blade, the Goddesses would not allow that, and there was no way to touch it directly without being harmed, even with protective devices over his hands, so he carried it by using his makeshift rope as a sling.

The soldiers were still staring at him, but he no longer cared. Carefully he tied the rope to his belt and hid the blade beneath his cloak then stood.

The hero would be needing this sometime in the future, and he would see it well guarded until then.

* * *

><p>Her head… Oh, her head.<p>

Zelda tried to ignore the merciless thundering in her skull, but the pain just wouldn't go away, and that was all she thought about when consciousness came to her. That and the fact that she was lying on her side on a hard wood floor that smelled like dust and mold.

Zelda looked around, vision swaying as she took in a horizontal perspective of the room. It was a cellar, large and empty, it looked to have been used as storage. But there was nothing now but for the faint impression of a number of crates that had once been there, and Link.

Link!

On the opposite end of the room he was lying bound with rope and facing toward her. His eyes were shut and his body was still. He was as comatose as he'd been before, unmoving as the dead, but he was with her. He was safe.

Shifting, she tried to get up before falling back down on her side. That was when she discovered that her hands were tied tightly in front of her with a thick chord of rope. Some experimental wriggling told her that her ankles were similarly bound. She moaned. She'd fallen on her injured arm and it was shooting shafts of pain all up her shoulder. More carefully, she rolled over off her injured side surprised to find that the arrow shaft had been removed and the wound bound.

"Ten…no twenty thousand rupees…"

Zelda's head flicked toward the silent muttering. A man stood in the corner nearest the stairs, hands pressed on a desk as he murmured figures to himself, scribbling on a frayed parchment. On his shoulder was a patch of fabric, the winged serpent.

Zelda searched frantically for a weapon, a piece of debris, anything sharp that could be used to slice her bonds, to no avail. The man had been wise enough to take her items, her pouch and all her weapons were gone, even the ones she'd had in hidden compartments in her clothing. She double checked to be certain, but couldn't feel anything on her. The Dagan mercenaries were trained well in that regard. She have to find a weapon on her captor.

The man in question finally looked over to her, expression wary before contorting into a dismal frown. "No, too damaged. Got to make it fifteen thousand. Might get thirty for the other one."

"Thirty for what?" Zelda asked steadily. If she wanted to get a weapon from him, short of wriggling her way over to him, she had to draw him near.

"For your companion there, of course," he responded hoarsely, distractedly, going back to his figures. "You're both going to help me. I've been trapped for far too long. With you I can pay off my debts and finally leave."

"Ah, of course," said Zelda diplomatically. The man gave her a hard glare before turning back to his parchment and writing some more.

She looked around, she had to keep him going. "And is your boss informed of our capture, or is this an illicit activity for your own prestige."

"No one knows, damn it! I'd be dead if they knew I was collecting spoils for myself," he spat. "I was lucky that you two had been overlooked. Everyone else has already been rounded up."

Her stomach felt notably sicker at that. "What's going to happen to them?" she pressed.

Silence passed. The man kept his muttering and Zelda tensed with impatience.

"Well?"

"Stop distracting me or else I'll come over there and beat you to silence myself!" he roared over his shoulder, hands stressing his hair.

Zelda frowned and looked over to Link. She needed to see to him. If she could get rid of the mercenary this would be the perfect place to hide out for a while and recover. Granted it might still be searched in the near future, but it was the best option so far.

"They're gathering all the Castle Town citizens together, I take it, but for what?" she asked, desiring to know and baiting his temper at the same time.

The mercenary slammed his hands down on the table and Zelda jolted. She met him with a steady gaze as he stomped up to her, pulling a cloth out of his coat.

He was scared. It was not wise to cross a mercenary group whether one was part of it or not, and this man was becoming highly stressed over it. It was a great risk he was taking and Zelda might have admired him for it if not that he'd essentially made her and Link the merchandise that would carry his plan out. He was running on fear, and that was something one could always take advantage of.

"Some lord's going to decide how to deal with them, that's what's going to happen!" he spat, looking as if he was about ready to kick her.

Zelda was half fearful he would. She'd force herself to take it though, as long as it put her in closer proximity to the knife sticking out of his boot. If he could just come a little closer so she could lunge at it.

"I thought you would start screaming the second you woke up," he growled, bending low so his gritty fingers could grab a handful of her hair and bring her painfully up to his face. "You're jabbering is almost as ba-"

He didn't get to finish as in a whiplike motion Zelda smashed her palms into his jaw, causing him to jar his teeth together and release his grip on her poor scalp. In the next moment, she wound her bound arms around his and lifted her knees, aiming a hard blow to his chest. He bent in half, winded, and Zelda slipped beneath, between his legs. She was almost in reach of the dagger, fingers just brushing over the pommel, when she was dragged back.

"You wench! You slut! You whore!"

Zelda glared at the mercenary and caught the fist that had been going for her face. Twisting her legs, she knocked him off his feet and they both slammed to the ground, the only problem was, Zelda was beneath, in the more disadvantaged position.

"I'll sell you to a brothel! Filthy piece of-" He made a grunt when her knee met his stomach, both caught in a vicious scuffle.

Zelda found her new burst of energy was to be short lived. Too soon her heavy muscles were reminding her of all they had endured for her, and her wounds were speaking up, making their presence known with harsh screams.

The man wrangled her hands into submission and clamped his large meaty fingers around her wrists, holding them firmly. His body pressed down against the length of hers so she had limited movement. With his free hand he retrieved the cloth he'd been holding and shoved it in her mouth before she had the chance to bite down.

"I hate Hylians," the man rasped, voice like sandpaper. "They're always fighting, always. Every single one of them, men, women, children, all of them! Humans don't, you see. They know when to give in. They know what's good for them."

Zelda choked on the gag, trying to push it out with her tongue but the man's hand planted over her mouth kept it in. She took in his distinct lack of pointed Hylian ears and glared at the man, body stilling, not feigning rest so much as needing it.

"See," he sneered, face crumpled in a vicious grimace. "You're all arrogant bastards. I can see it in your eyes. You still think highly of yourself like this?" He gestured with his eyes to their positions. "You won't after what I'm about to do."

His hand left her mouth and Zelda at once began pushing out the gag, but then he moved her arms so that they were crushed between their chests. With his right hand he took her face in his hold and when his left came into view they carried with them a wicked pair of garden shears.

Heart stopping, she shook her head as they came closer, bucking, wriggling, anything to knock him off.

"Let's see how proud you are without those pointed ear tips, eh?" he whispered with delightful maliciousness.

Zelda struggled harder against him, face twisting back and forth, away from the nearing shears. His finger and thumb pressed hard into her cheeks and Zelda felt tears well up.

"Gah, stop fighting! Hold still, it won't be as bad."

No! She'd never stop fighting! Not as long as Link needed her. Not as long as she lived! Even if she fell she would have done so knowing that she had done all she could to win. She would not be degraded this way!

The shears closed on her right ear and she screamed behind the gag.

The next instant the man's weight had lifted off her and the shears were torn out of her ear. Zelda spat out the gag, on the verge of vomiting, and quickly felt for her ear tip. It was there. Other than a deep slice, it was there and bleeding over her hands.

She looked up and saw Link, both arms squeezed around the mercenary's neck, choking him. The man flailed and stabbed Link's arm repeatedly with the shears, but Link paid no heed, his eyes a lethal blue as he squeezed tighter. Soon the man's stabs became weakened until they stopped altogether. In the end he dropped the shears and hung slack in Link's grip.

Link dropped him like a sack of wheat and kicked his body to the side. He picked up the shears, torn pieces of rope dangling from his wrists, and approached her.

Zelda was still trying to catch her breath after nearly suffocating behind that repulsive gag when he bent over her and cut her bonds. He helped her to sit up and supported her back with his arm then proceeded to look her over.

"Are you alright? Zelda, what happened?" he demanded, at the same time he checked her vitals, peering into each of her eyes and feeling around for injuries.

"I'm - I'm fine," she said, shaking uncontrollably. What had her shaken was this had been an ordinary man who had almost cut off her ear. A man who on any other day she'd have taken out with little to no thought.

She continued on as Link went over her bandaged arm and the slice on her neck, eyes still glowing with lethal intent.

"Y-You were unconscious. We got out of the castle and used one of the Goddess Marks. We arrived at the town of Litus, but Link, it's been overrun by mercenaries. I believe they were hired by Xerthos. Dasril not only told them of our battle plans, but our escape plans as well. They knew that we were sending the citizens away."

Link hummed and felt her forehead. "Do you hurt anywhere?"

Zelda stammered then frowned. "My head. I have the worst headache. And my ear."

"You have a concussion," responded Link, checking over her ear and frowning at what he saw. "And that man had a twisted sense of hospitality. I wish I killed him slower."

"I detest the slaughter of people," she murmured.

Link nodded and surveyed the room. "You are not to think and not to move. I will not have that concussion getting any worse."

She nodded tiredly, only too glad that he was back and that he was fine. How horrifying it had been to carry his unconscious body around, all the while fearing that any second she would lose him. And how terrifying it had been when he had woken up, to see the bloodlust in his eyes when he had killed that mercenary for her.

"Are you alright by yourself?" he said after a moment. "I need to scope around, and I should find us some potions."

"Just don't forget this location," she said with no real worry. Link had a very acute sense of direction.

He kissed her cheek and laid her down then he took off his tunic and covered her with it.

"Rest and stay safe." He jerked his head at the dead mercenary. "I'll get rid of the body. Wait for me."

Silently she nodded and with that Link slung the dead body over his shoulder and was shooting up the stairs as swift as ever. Light beamed through the dim cellar when he lifted the hatch and then he was gone.

Zelda counted hours as she waited. There was not much to do but sleep and will her mana to regenerate faster. She could hear nothing of the outside world while in the cellar. The underground walls captured all noise and any from above never reached her. She could only feel the tremors of horses or carts.

The one time she did hear something was when people had entered the house.

Zelda froze at the sound of heavy boot steps trudging above her. Then jolted when a plethora of loud thuds followed, accompanied by smashing and shattering. The house was being raided, she realized.

How long would it take them to find the cellar door?

She sat up slowly and grabbed the bloody shears, holding them to her as she inched her way to the single desk in the room. Crawling beneath, she waited, eyes trained at the top of the stairs, for anyone to appear.

After a while the sound of vandalizing stopped and shockingly the footsteps left. Zelda had been sure they'd have found her by now. Had the cellar been that well-hidden?

A few moments later a single set of steps entered the building. Moving swiftly across the boards, they went straight for the hatch and lifted it.

Zelda held the shears in hurling position as the man came down then dropped them when she made him out as Link.

"Sorry, princess, we're leaving early," he announced, taking the steps two at a time and jumping the last four. Zelda was surprised by his vitality.

"What's wrong?" she shot, crawling out and slowly coming to a stand, headache building behind her eyes.

"Here," he said, placing a vial in her grasp. "This should take care of that concussion of yours and a good number of your wounds." He frowned when he saw the slash on her throat but went back to the bags he'd carried down with him.

The vial was small but filled with red potion. Zelda quickly drank it and felt instant relief as her headache disappeared. Link smiled and handed her one of the pouches and a folded cloth that clinked with metal.

"Seems the fiend was going to pawn off our things while we weren't aware," huffed Link, shooting a nasty remark while reclaiming his tunic from her. "The only thing I couldn't find was the Master Sword."

"It's back at the castle," informed Zelda, using a shredded cloth to wrap the fey wound at her neck. Link shot his head up while fastening his pouch around his waist. She went on, "You dropped it. I couldn't carry both you and the sword at the same time."

"Then let's hope it does not fall into the wrong hands," he whispered, ears flicking in agitation. "If someone finds it who knows of its significance we might very well lose it."

"I'm sorry, Link," she said, unable to look at him. She should have at least tried to take the Master Sword with her. Even if it burned every nerve in her body, she should have tried.

His warm hand cupped her cheek and he pressed a chaste kiss to her lips. "It's not your fault. Now, let's get out of here before DeSange finds us."

"Reth!" Zelda shot alarmed.

"I overheard some of the brutes talking," said Link in reply, drawing a cloak around her shoulders before fastening his own. "If we don't hurry DeSange will sic us out and the way we are now I do not fancy our chances of survival."

No, she did not either.

They crept up the stairwell and slipped out onto the main floor. It hadn't become completely dark yet during the time she'd been stuck in the cellar but the persistent fog made it so there was barely any difference. With it as coverage it would be easy to slip away.

"I noticed that you no longer have that cape of yours," Link mentioned kindly, aware of the sentiments she held for it.

Zelda frowned. "It is one of the lesser things I've lost this day."

"It was an amazing cape, and you put it to exceptional use. I was never able to catch you."

"Be that as it may it won't help us now," said Zelda, looking out the window through the fog.

The entire main floor of the house had been destroyed. Furniture knocked over, drawers removed and papers scattered everywhere. She tried not to feel too much guilt for the poor people who'd been living here before. Guilt would weigh her down. Everything could be replaced later during the recovery efforts, once they reclaimed Hyrule. Lives on the other hand once lost could never be replaced.

"We'll leave from the rooftops, it's the only way to go unseen," whispered Link, ducking down to avoid the torchlight of a patrol. "Seems like they secured the town. I wonder did this happen to the other locations?"

"I wouldn't doubt it," she said. "Xerthos was not only aiming to take over Hyrule Castle. It appears his goal was to bring the entire country to its knees. We were unprepared for this."

"It seems excessive," spoke Link, quietly, "But he's a revived demon. He has a score to settle with Hyrule and he's settling it in full."

A crash from somewhere down the street caused them both to stiffen. The patrol unit nearest them paused then headed for the disturbance, shouting and drawing out swords.

Link caught her eyes and pulled his hood up then dashed up the stairs. Zelda followed close behind. They burst onto the second story then the third and Link wrenched open one of the windows.

A cluster of torches had accumulated southward where the crash had sounded. Zelda ached to find out what it was – what if they were citizens trying to make a break for it – but Link drew her attention forward.

With one boot one the windowsill he aimed his longshot to the nearest rooftop and released the catch. Zelda only saw his general direction before he vanished into the fog.

She copied his movements, taking out her own longshot she aimed in the area he'd been pointing and let it fly. With a hop over the window ledge, she was out and away.

She met him on the rooftop. After yanking out the longshot and shimmying up over the ledge she joined him in looking skyward. The fog had reached its limit and would rise no higher. From here they were granted an unimpeded view of the stars, their navigation chart.

Link drew two fingers to connect the loftwing's crown and pointed them straight.

"I hate running away," he mumbled, then faced her. "Which way would you have us go? Termina." He pointed south. "Or Holodrum." He pointed east.

Zelda looked at him appalled. "Lake Hylia," she exclaimed in a hushed manner, jabbing her finger northward. "The Zora can-"

"Please don't delude yourself," urged Link firmly. "The Zora are being dealt with the same as everyone else. Don't you see? It's all happening again. Just like all those times before. Our only option is to leave and recover, and possibly pick up a few of Hyrule's allies."

"We can't leave!" she hissed.

"Flight or die, Zelda," intoned Link sharply, snatching her wrist. "And I'm not inclined to allow you to choose the latter."

Tearing her wrist away – they'd been battered around enough that day – she wordlessly turned east and pitched herself over to the next rooftop. The faint echo of Link's footsteps resounded beside her as they ran along the rooftops of Litus.

Holodrum was closer than Termina. And she'd rather enter at this section, closer to Lake Hylia, rather than brave the swamps that were more south of here. The desert she could make do with.

They were quickly reaching the edge of the small town. Beyond them spread darkness and-

"Zelda wait!" Link hissed.

Zelda skidded to a stop just as she was about to leap off into that darkness. Her eyes took a moment to adjust and when they did she saw the reason for Link's hesitance. A large mass of limestone faced them. She would have jumped off yet collided straight into the rocky wall. It was a good thing Link had keen perception.

Link landed beside her and they both observed the tall structure. It was like the wall that separated the Gerudo Desert from Lake Hylia. She had forgotten it extended so far.

"Can we make it?" she hazarded, glancing over to him.

Link's eyes were calculating as he stared at the obstruction. The fog wasn't as dense here and below were numerous mercenaries making their rounds. If a single rock were to be dislodged and fall because of them they'd know something was going on.

"As long as we do not fall, I believe we can," he said looking over at her.

Zelda let loose a long breath. Roc's Cape would have definitely made this easier.

"Pass me your longshot, and grab hold of me. This is the only way to do it."

Without question she handed over the desired item and entwined her arms around his head.

"Tighter."

Clenching tighter until her feet were off the ground, she nestled herself against his broad chest, head beneath his throat.

With her settled, he took one longshot in each hand and threw out the first. They zoomed up the Cliffside in a swish of air. Once the coil wound in, he brought out the next longshot and sent it shooting out to the next hold.

Zelda dared not move, her grip tight and unyielding with every jerk he took. She could not afford to distract him even if it might prove to be an easy ordeal for him. Instead she waited patiently for them to reach the top. They were making good progress. She did not know how much longer it would take to reach the top, but looking down none of the watchers suspected a thing. Almost there. They were almost out.

When the next shot coiled all the way in, Link paused, knees bent so his feet aligned flat on the jut of stone perpendicular to the wall. Zelda was forced to adjust so she was sitting on his thighs.

"Link?" she called, taking in his features. There wasn't much she could discern even with enhanced eyesight.

His gaze was steady and forward, but his brow was scrunched and his mouth emitted a sound that was like the grating of teeth together.

"Link?" she repeated, tone etched with worry.

He shook himself. "I'm fine… Come on, we're almost at the t-top..."

He shot the next arm out and pressed the catch, but he'd misfired and the peg recoiled off the cliff. Zelda saw his eyes begin to glaze and felt his whole body relaxing.

Panic-stricken, she grabbed him around the torso and latched her hand around his right one, the one that was holding onto the longshot keeping them up. Seconds later he went totally limp and the other longshot fell from his grasp, tumbling down below with no hopes of retrieval.

"Link!" she hissed frantically, trying to jar something inside of him that would wake him up. "Link! What's wrong with you!"

He'd fainted. Oh Goddesses, what did she do now?

Her hand cramped and it felt like her shoulder was tearing with the additional weight of him.

"Link, I can't hold on forever! Link!"

Nothing worked. Zelda dangled there in panic. Without a second longshot they couldn't make it to the top. They'd either drop after their bodies grew tired or be shot down by the mercenaries. Speaking of mercenaries they were bound to be alerted with the noise the longshot was going to make. They'd search up here, some might take the route around and head them off from the top.

Why had Link so suddenly blacked out? What was wrong with him?

She should have checked him over before they'd headed out. Goddesses, how could she have overlooked that? A simple health check, it would have used minimal magic to detect if anything was wrong.

Her mana wasn't as depleted as it had been. She might just have enough to lower them slowly.

Yells sounded from below. They must have found the longshot. Zelda had only minutes to decide what to do. How best to get them out of this without both of them dying.

Her hand was becoming slick against his, and she suspected the peg was coming loose. And there were arrows. Zelda saw them zooming toward them, lighting an arch in the sky as they burned and falling feet short of them.

Zelda cursed the ones that stuck to the wall, illuminating them. They were marking their target. It would only take one well-aimed shot with the longbow.

The peg let out a grating sound and Zelda felt a cold shiver of fear travel down her spine.

The arrows shot and the peg fell away from its perch. Zelda was overcome with vertigo as she and Link went falling through the sky.

She wrapped both arms around him. She could only cushion their landing and then she'd have to fight whoever met them at the bottom to protect him. Fight to ensure both their survival. If Link couldn't fend for himself, she'd fend for him.

But then something snagged around her cloak, a series of sharp objects digging into her back. Whatever it was carried their momentum before reversing it and they were suddenly bounding upward. Tapered claws dug into stone, steadily climbing.

Zelda witnessed, head and shoulders extended out one side of a giant maw, as they progressed higher and higher, out of range of the arrows, until the air grew thin and hot.

She and Link were dumped at the summit, and they rolled on sand and grass.

_**Your highness.**_

An obsidian mussel filled her face and Zelda patted it, laying her head down, the tension leaking from her. "Laval. Thank heavens."

"No, it's 'Zellandus, thank heavens!' I sent him after you," said the most blessedly snobbish voice known to Hyruleans.

From Laval's back the prince could be seen gripping a handful of shadow to stay on. His posture was slumped and he wasn't smiling or giving off airs, an indication of his exhaustion.

He went on informatively as he spoke, "We determined that if things became too difficult the grave was the closest warp point to go to and so you would end up right here in this lovely mess. I've been waiting around for you both for ages."

Zelda sat up, placing Link down so that his head could be cushioned on her lap. He was still out of it. His eyes were only half closed and he wasn't moving. He was warm to the touch and Zelda prayed he wasn't developing an illness.

She shook his shoulder. "Wake up. Wake up, Link." She shook harder, contemplating if plugging his nose and blocking his mouth would work. "Link!"

Finally she was given a reaction. Link blinked and moaned groggily, rubbing his temples as he shook his head.

Zelda breathed out a sigh of relief. "You need to stop fainting on me. It's a very distressing trait."

"Both of you are just plain distressing," retorted Zellandus.

Zelda paid him no heed as she patted back Link's fringe, allowing him the time he needed to properly come to.

"Wh-what?" Link mumbled out, taking stock of everything. "I don't…"

_**You highnesses!**_

"Later, Link," Zelda soothed, helping him to his feet. "We need to get away first. They're bound to send riders after us. The desert is nigh. We'll lose them in the sands."

Zelda was still jittery at how close they'd both come to death right then. The stroke of fate that had saved them, luck, divine intervention, whatever it was, their lives were indebted to it.

They clambered onto Laval's beastial form. He would provide a fast getaway that would take them deep into the desert. Zelda made sure that she was in the rear with Link in the middle. She assessed that she was the only one in decent condition out of the three, and with Link potentially ill and fainting at random intervals she wanted him where he would not topple off.

With a huff of breath, Laval was shooting toward the dunes.

* * *

><p>Zelda fueled more magic into the fire, ascertaining that it would burn a few more hours, before leaning back against the rocky crag. The desert was freezing at night and her only option had been to start a magically induced fire. Zelda could already feel it eating up her carefully conserved mana, but there'd be little point of storing it if they were going to freeze anyways.<p>

Tiredly, her eyes grazed over the sleeping forms of Link and Zellandus, still and unmoving. She was just glad they were alright.

They had ridden until there was nothing around them but sand. Until Laval's energy had almost completely run out and he was forced to revert to shadow form.

He'd brought them to a solid mound of soil where a cragged rock shelf offered some shelter. After checking the area for beasts, or as it may be, sources of food, they'd swiftly settled in. Zellandus had fallen asleep minutes after arriving and setting up the fire. She'd checked his injured leg and had rewrapped his bandages, but there was nothing else she could do for him. It had to take its course and heal naturally. Such was the effect of a fey wound.

Link on the other hand was burning with fever, which explained why he had fainted at such a crucial point in their escape. She'd checked his injuries over for infection and a quick scan revealed that it was just a bug. A darn inconvenient bug.

He lay beside her, huddled beneath two sets of cloaks. Zelda had forfeited hers for his comfort and tried to ignore the cold seeping into her skin, knowing that its bite would be ten times worse for him. They needed to expedite his recovery and she hated seeing him sick. Also, they didn't have the resources to care for him properly, which put him at greater risk.

Zelda seared icy eyes in the direction they'd come from. At the reason they'd been chased here. The depraved demon was now sitting on _her_ throne, and she couldn't help but feel that somehow she'd allowed it. Somewhere in her scheming and planning, she'd failed. She'd failed this Hyrule a hundred times over.

All those soldiers slaughtered, civilians captured and at the mercy of those mercenaries. She'd condemned them all. This reign of darkness was a life she'd thrust upon Hyrule, and now to abandon her people for the sake of her own survival? How many times would she have to repeat this endless sequence? Why couldn't she and Link just rest?

Zelda hadn't realized she was crying until a pair of arms came around her and she buried her head in a fever ridden torso.

Link. Even sick he was there for her. She never wanted to be parted from him again.

"Tell me about it," he whispered, voice one of understanding. He knew better than anyone else what it was like. To keep existing when all they wanted was the freedom of death.

"What is the use," she said scornfully. "Nothing will change." She sniffed and took a deep breath. "Forgive me. I'm being weak. I simply have to come to terms with it all, and then I can set everything aside and attend to the future."

"I wish you wouldn't do that," insisted Link. He experienced a short spurt of coughing before he was able to speak again. "The past is just as important."

Zelda gave no reply. Silently she spurned the past. Their many pasts, both known and unknown. It was difficult not to feel resentful and she didn't bother trying not to.

"Please tell me," he cajoled, petting her hair and quivering against her from fever chills. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that you were wrong. I am a coward," she spat, wrapping her arms around him and pressing close to help him keep warm. "I'm thinking that I should not have run away that day two years ago. That I shouldn't have been so arrogant as to cast that memory charm on the entirety of Hyrule. I'd have been queen by now. I could have stopped the Augurer and Xerthos. Countless lives have been lost due to my folly. They do not even know who it is they protect."

Her hands were wrangling the back of his tunic. She kept her face tucked against his front. She didn't want to see whatever would be in his gaze as he looked at her. Spite and hate she could take, but she just knew those eyes would be filled with sympathy, and that was something she didn't deserve.

"Always quick to condemn," Link sighed woefully, hands smoothing down her back.

She shifted but wasn't going to emerge. His warmth intoxicated her. She would steal an instance of guilty pleasure and remain ensconced in his arms a moment more.

"I don't believe you thought this all the way through," he said. "Consider, if you hadn't run away when you did then all this would have happened that much sooner. All of us would have been living under the rule of a demon for two years already. And I wouldn't have had my memories back until it was too late to save you. You'd have died, Zelda. Before I'd had the chance to even know you."

A freezing wind tore through their encampment. The fire stuttered and almost went out before Zelda cast her hand at it and fed it more magic. Once done she settled back against Link.

"I just feel so incompetent," she said dejectedly.

"It's a shared feeling," responded Link.

They became silent after that. Zelda immersed herself in her thoughts. Link was right about some things, but it didn't stop her belief that there was something she could have done to have prevented everything. Not trusting Dasril was the first thing that came to mind, but without foresight she wouldn't have known his intentions. Why had it been Dasril.

Gradually the hand caressing her hair became limp and Link's chest rose and fell with deeper breaths.

"Link?" she asked to be sure, humming softly when he gave no reply.

Asleep. It had never been difficult for him to fall asleep, unlike her, whose rest could elude her for hours.

Despite that, she felt her eyelids slowly give way.

Zelda jerked awake at the sound of Link's shout.

A cry from Zellandus joined in and she was instantly roused.

"Should have set up a watch," said Link.

"Hurry, they'll be upon us any minute!" called her brother, voice frantic. "Wake her up."

Her arm was grabbed and Zelda waved off Link's help as she rose. He lifted to her feet anyways before grabbing one of her daggers for himself.

"What is it?" she demanded fretfully. Please not Reth. He couldn't be on their tail so quick.

"Mercenaries," said Link, shivering and hot with fever, but still going strong as he gathered their things, wracking his brain for an escape. "While we were all resting they tracked us down."

_**The fault is with me. I should have kept my vigilance. **_

"You've done enough, Laval," reassured Zelda. The Sheikah's very presence was a comfort to her, despite his inability to do much. Like the rest of them he was still tired. And remaining for so long in physical form had drained much of his power.

Zelda tied back her hair and considered their options. Hiding wasn't viable, there was no place to hide, and running wasn't acceptable either. They might make it halfway up a dune before they were shot and killed, and even if they were to get a head start, their tracks would be clearly visible.

"What do we do?" asked Zellandus cautiously, backing up against the rock.

Link shifted his stance and became engrossed in another coughing fit, sand and dust clotting his breathing. "Make a stand," he responded when his coughing died down. "I'll delay them while you two run."

Zelda's breath pitched with anger. "Link, we are _not_ separating."

"I'll catch up to you when I'm done here," he called, voice insistent and urgent. "Leave. I can take them easily."

"Not when you're dotted with arrows, I wager," input Zellandus with a bland point. "And they're nearly in range."

Indeed, the black figures rapidly approaching them on horseback were meters away from the range of a regular longbow. They shone starkly in the night, outlined beneath the full moon. Zelda counted fifteen forms. They were not at a proximity that she could detect if they were more of Dagan's men or another group. She had no doubt though that they were coming for them and that they'd been sent by the men in Litus.

"Any alternatives someone would like to share?" Link said, glancing from one to the other.

"If we're lucky and they don't shoot, I have enough energy to take out a few with magic once they're close enough," said Zellandus.

Zelda scrounged to come up with a better plan. She wanted as little possible risk.

"Zellan," she snapped, in command, "When they begin shooting erect a shield. Wait until they get closer and drop it. I have some throwing knives that I can use against them and once those run out the rest of them should be near enough for us to deal with at close quarters."

Right as she finished that last sentence, the first arrow was shot. It clinked against the wall between Link and Zelda and both flinched to opposite sides. Zellandus raised the shield as an entire barrage of arrows came heading their way. Zelda, unwilling to miss her opportunity, readied her knives, four to each hand. She was confident in her markswoman skills and knew that not a single knife would go wasted.

However, before she could let them fly, the entire ground shuddered.

Zellandus dropped his shield as he stumbled, his weakened leg failing him and causing him to fall over. Both Link and Zelda braced against the rock wall as another rumble passed through, shaking the entire area.

"What in Hyrule…" muttered Link, pressing a hand to his sweat-slicked brow.

Across from them the mercenaries' horses were rearing and braying with fright. They struggled to wrestle them back under control but what happened next made them lose it entirely.

The sand shifted. Zelda's eyes fixated on a huge lump that had formed beneath the sand. It moved, growing larger, sand spilling everywhere, and then burst!

With an unearthly screech a scorpion of monstrous size erupted from the mound between them and the oncoming mercenaries. Sand filled the air as pinchers scrapped the sky. Its armored shell glinted in the light, joints creaking as it scuttled on spindly legs.

The scorpion spun around, curved tail whipping above its body, the stinger on the end deadly and sharp, dripping with venom. Its single eye veered over the area before locking on the first thing to attract it.

Zelda could hear the screams of the men as they kicked their horses to flee then watched fixated as the enormous scorpion detected the motion and scuttled to follow.

A hand tugged on her arm as Link indicated with a silent gesture for them to leave.

She followed Link and Zellandus around the rock slab, ice trickling down her spine when the scorpion gave another screech. Beasts were best dealt with by Link. She hated monsters. Positively detested them. Her time in the tunnels beneath Lake Hylia taught her that she never wanted to partake in that aspect of Link's job ever again.

She paused as she reached the end of the solid ground, more unwilling to dive into the sand this time around.

"Come on," Link urged, looking impatiently from her to the sand dunes. "What's the chances of there being another one around?"

Zelda's face scrunched in a grimace. "Slim. But -"

_**It comes!**_

Laval's warning caused them all to look back to where the scorpion was hastily heading their way, dark plates gleaming in the moon glow.

She swerved her head to Link. "You should know that I'm terribly frightened of arachnids of any sort."

"Oh I know," said Link with poised calm. He clutched her dagger in his grip and pushed her behind him.

Unwilling to allow him to fight alone, and sick to boot, Zelda stepped over to the side and readied her throwing knives, covering Zellandus.

The scorpion came at them. Zelda dreaded the prospect of battling it, but then before it reached them it froze. Cracks suddenly sprouted up on its armor, spreading all around it before an onslaught of light shone out and the entire scorpion burst. Fragments of sand hovered in the air before it became a whirlwind and it tore straight for them. They were all the sudden hit with a strong gust, tearing at clothes and hair. Zelda covered her face with her arms trying not to inhale as it battered at her mouth and eyes.

The whirlwind tore away and then as suddenly as it formed, died down.

Zelda peeked out, fingers gripped tighter around the handles of her knives at the sight of a tall figure standing where the scorpion had just shattered.

She caught the person's features in the moon's illuminance and instantly felt her cheeks heat up. For one, the figure was a man, a very shirtless and overall scantily dressed man. The only means of covering he had was a sarong like wrap around his waist. That was it. He was well built, given the impressive planes of his torso and abdomen, outlined by the light, and even in the dimness she could see that his skin was tan and his hair was a bright yellow.

It was a most peculiar vision and something that stole her breath away.

Link as well, it appeared, was shocked as he stared at the new development, the hand wielding her dagger still hefted to attack.

"Are we to have no rest?" groaned Zellandus, sounding deeply irritated. He hobbled on his damaged leg before sitting down on the sand. "It's just one thing after another, is it."

"What was that?" asked Link, vexed. "And who are you," he shot accusingly.

His eyes searched as if trying to discover where the scorpion had gone. It was never that easy that an enemy vanished so soon after he'd encountered one.

The figure faced them and smiled, the expression lighting up his entire countenance. "An illusion, young master. It was all an illusion."

He bounced in place and Zelda's gaze was riveted as the mysterious man left the sand and stayed hovering midair, bare feet inches above the ground.

The man's smile became Cheshire-like as he smirked at them. "I am the Golden Fairy."


End file.
